Joy to the World

1 Joy to the world! the Lord is come:
 let earth receive her King!
 Let every heart prepare him room,
 and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing,
 and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

2 Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns:
 let all their songs employ,
 while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
 repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,
 repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

Here we are, another Feast of the Birth or Nativity of Jesus. As the years have passed I've grown deeper in love with the incarnation, the presence of God-with-us in the person of Jesus. This planet is so remarkably beautiful and the possibilities of life together for all creatures are endless. God joining us in this way is so, God-like!

That said, the year 2017 was difficult, one in which it was a challenge to celebrate the goodness of Creation and the presence of an earthy, earthling God. There have been unprecedented fires, and changes to weather patterns which have wreaked havoc in many parts of the globe. Migrants perish as they search for new homes because their countries are stricken by drought. I am disheartened that Right whales, which I have seen in the Bay of Fundy may be the way to extinction, as is the case with many other species. A tenth of the Earth's wilderness has disappeared since 1992. We humans have a propensity for the sin of environmental degradation.

Where is the joy? We all need to find the wellspring for joy in our lives, in our choices. As Christmas comes again and a New Year is on the horizon I commit myself anew to caring for Planet Earth as a follower of Jesus, the Promised One.

 A familiar hymn of this season, Joy to the World, was not written as an Advent or Christmas carol, but it is sung often at this time of year. Isaac Watts wrote it nearly 300 years ago as a mash-up of Psalms 98, and 96 and Genesis 3. He includes in his lyrics the hope of Christ, not as the baby of Bethlehem but as the one who would redeem all of Creation. This is an environmental hymn and a planetary hymn and a cosmic hymn.

I can only hope for a heavenly home when this life ends, but I am able to make a difference now, on the planet where I was born. I desire joy for my grandchildren and future generations. I can lobby governments, and take personal action in my lifestyle choices which may be costly in their commitment to simplicity. I can also worship the God revealed in Jesus, to sing and pray with a joy and peace which is beyond understanding.

May the earthy, cosmic Christ bring you joy today and in the year to come, and may you live your joy.  Thanks for reading!