Advent Day 15: Lasting Joy

Link to Love’s Pure Light Advent Devotional here: ⁣ ⁣ https://tinyurl.com/yysjvwjm⁣ ⁣ Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Psalm 126 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, 19-28⁣ ⁣ 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥.⁣ –Thomas Merton⁣ ⁣ This time of year, gift giving is top of mind. Likely, you have been busily working through a list, making sure everyone is accounted for and that no one slips through the cracks. Similarly, we often speak of Jesus as the “gift of Christmas.” Rightly understood, we should celebrate this great truth. However, there is a danger before us if we too quickly think of him as a modern Christmas gift, wrapped in the manger and placed gently beneath the tree.⁣ In our culture, Christmas gifts are, by design, not essential to our well-being or daily life. In truth, you do not need a new gaming console, perfume, or an electric toothbrush, yet these are precisely the types of gifts we give and receive in this season. It is highly unlikely that you will ever wake up on Christmas morning to find a prepaid utility bill wrapped and waiting for you! No, Christmas gifts are meant to do the opposite: they distract from the otherwise difficult and often painful realities of “normal life.” As such, though they may bring momentary joy or delight, rarely do they bring with them lasting joy or genuine transformation of being.⁣ ⁣ The gift of God in Jesus is not a momentary fix but is a lasting cure. He sees us as we truly are and offers himself as a gift of love to heal our greatest need. Love neither pacifies nor distracts, but always renews and restores. Isaiah reminds us of this, pointing to a day of unspeakable joy in which the broken-hearted are restored, mourners consoled, and captives set free (Is. 61:1-3). This is undoubtedly the greatest Christmas gift that could ever be given.⁣ ⁣ 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸⁣ Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hinde