A Season of Unsurpassed Joy

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

(Luke 2:10, ESV)


Joy is defined as “the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.” I have experienced many things that have given me joy, but no experience has ever surpassed the joy I felt the night I trusted Christ as my personal Savior.

As a little boy, my greatest day of joy was Christmas and all that comes with that day—the smell of turkey and glazed ham being prepared by my mother, family members and friends arriving to share the day with me and my family, and most important, the expressions on each face as presents are opened. But now I understand true joy: what the shepherds must have felt the night the angel announced to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11).

I’m sure most of us, witnessing an angel speaking to us, would experience great fear and amazement at the same time. Yet, after giving the shepherds the command “Fear not,” the angel explained why they should feel joy instead of fear. A Savior—God incarnate—had been born, and He would be for all people. As I have grown, both physically and spiritually, I now understand Christmas is a time for great joy—a time not just to give and receive presents from loved ones and friends but to remember and rejoice that the world has been given the greatest gift of all.

Therefore, let us make a fresh commitment, during this Christmas season and beyond, to share with others by our lives and our words that they can receive this same joy which comes from a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus.