Joy God Gives
- Baptist Daily Devotional
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | December 16 2025 | Luke 1:14-17
KEY VERSE:
“He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.” (Luke 1:14-15a, NIV)
MESSAGE:
In our previous devotion, When God Breaks the Silence, we witnessed God step into Zechariah’s long season of waiting with a message of hope and assurance. The angel’s words did not simply announce a birth; they opened a new chapter of God’s redemptive joy.
Today, we look more closely at that joy—the kind God Himself gives. This is not joy shaped by circumstances, but joy rooted in God’s promises and purposes. Advent invites us to rediscover this joy that flows from God’s faithfulness. In Luke 1:14-15, the angel reveals that the coming of John the Baptist would bring joy that is personal, communal, and spiritual. This is the kind of joy Advent calls us to embrace as we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ.
Three devotional reflections stand out clearly in today’s passage.
God Gives Joy That Begins in His Plans, Not Ours. In verse 14a, the angel declares, “He will be a joy and delight to you.” The joy promised to Zechariah was not the product of human achievement but the result of God’s unfolding plan. Advent reminds us that true joy begins with what God is doing, not with what we accomplish.
God’s Joy Spreads Beyond Us.
The angel continues, “Many will rejoice.” The joy God gives is never meant to end with us. It overflows. God blesses us so that we may become a blessing. Advent joy is shared joy.
Joy Is Found in Being Set Apart for God. John would be “great in the sight of the Lord” because his life was consecrated and filled with the Holy Spirit. His greatness was not defined by status or position, but by divine purpose. This reminds us that our deepest joy flows from surrender to God and from lives shaped and empowered by His Spirit.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Advent invites us to examine the kind of joy we are pursuing. Are we chasing joys that fade, or embracing the enduring joy of belonging to God and participating in His redemptive work? God’s joy breaks into barrenness, rises out of silence, and shines even in darkness.
PRAYER:
Father, thank You for the joy You give—deep, lasting, and rooted in Your purposes. Teach me to find delight not in circumstances but in what You are doing. Fill me with Your Spirit, that I may walk in the joy of the Lord and share it with others during this Advent season. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING
DAILY word study: JOY
The word translated joy comes from the Greek χαρά (chara). It refers to deep gladness that flows from God’s grace and favour, not from external conditions.
This joy is anchored in God’s action and purpose. It arises because God is at work, fulfilling His plan through consecrated lives.
Reflect on this:
Where is God inviting you to find joy in what He is doing, rather than in what you are hoping to achieve?
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