This month, I’m appreciating the Advent preparation for Christmas and enjoying Jacquie Lawson’s Edwardian Advent Calendar. Each day, I go on a scavenger hunt, assemble puzzles, play games, decorate a tree, design a wreath, and listen to soothing music. In meditation, I transport myself to snowy climes and feel the grounded stillness of another season beginning.
These moments are sacred delights, a treat to start my day. And I’ve already set the intention to carry this joyful energy of Spirit—a quality alive within everyone—into a bright new year.
So, Dear Reader, I invite you to join me. The following scriptures can help you contemplate different aspects of joy.
“Delight yourself in the Lord,
and you will have the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:4
Social media offers a bevy of how-tos. Many people tout themselves as experts with the latest, greatest advice. You might think they know more than you do. But when you follow them first and ignore your intuition, you may find yourself on a bumpy road or forcing your will onto situations that are best left alone. As the Psalmist teaches, delighting in God, the source of your inner wisdom, is the only way to realize your heart’s desires. By following God’s guidance, you let God’s will for your life unfold.
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- Reflect on the joy of being your own best expert.
“You will go out with joy and be led in peace.
The mountains and hills will break into shouts of joy before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
Isaiah 55:12
In this passage from “Invitation to Abundance,” the Prophet teaches that you experience both joy and peace by following your intuition and discerning how best to live. You feel your Oneness with all life and understand your own true nature. You know that you are enough and that all your needs are being met. This sense of assurance is true delight, so clear and palpable that the Earth rejoices with you.
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- Reflect on the joy of finding abundance all around you.
“Their hearts are hard and callous, but I delight in your law.”
Psalm 119:70
In the Psalm, “Your Word is a Lamp to My Feet,” the Psalmist contrasts their faith in God’s law—spiritual law—with those whose faith is in human law alone. Like the Psalmist, you can recognize that you have little control over others, but you have the inner power to control your responses and actions. When you delight in God’s law, your intuition and divine guidance, you act with spiritual maturity. You follow the high road and don’t let others dictate your beliefs and practices.
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- Reflect on the joy of following your intuition and living your personal truth.
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I take great delight.
I am putting my Spirit upon them,
and they will proclaim justice to the nations.”
Matthew 12:18
The Gospel Writer called Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1 to proclaim Jesus’s authority, reminding you are that you’re one of God’s divine beloveds, too. While Isaiah wasn’t predicting Jesus’s birth specifically, he does describe an ideal, one who leads by example, serving with wisdom and compassion. Therefore, everyone—whether head of a Girl Scout troop, business, or country—is chosen to follow this divine model, not proclaim authoritarian rule over others.
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- Reflect on the joy of leading by example.
“Jesus said, ‘Until now you have asked for nothing in my name.
Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.’”
John 16:24
Jesus is teaching the disciples to do as he does, fully believing in God’s beneficence, trusting that as they request what they need, their prayers are being answered. Asking in Jesus’s name means that you adopt the same consciousness (mindset) as Jesus; you know that God is your source for everything. Your joy is both recognizing that you’ve been heard and that you’re receiving what’s best for you.
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- Reflect on the joyous ways your requests are fulfilled.
As you contemplate your delights, know that you deserve to feel joyful all year long, not only during holidays. So, as this season and the coming year unfold, open yourself to discover a natural spirit of freedom and playfulness. Plan for fun, but also savor the spontaneous delights that warm your heart and radiate joy wherever you go.
© 2023 – Rev Jennifer L. Sacks – All rights reserved.
Photo from Shutterstock by Jag_cz.
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