HOPE is a state of anticipation.  Peace or shalom means completeness.  HOPE

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room

 There are multiple examples of God’s people filled with JOY.  His people did not find joy only in good times but in suffering as well.  How is it that God’s people found Joy in suffering though?  When we have Joy in Jesus, we are looking towards that future.  James 1:2-3 says, “Consider it pure Joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”  When we face trials, it doesn’t sound joyful. It’s easy for us to fall into this mistake. The trials we face as Christians, are not filled with happiness, but can be filled with Joy.  King and Country has a song out titled Joy.  One of the lines talks about watching the evening news and not being able to find their rhythm.  They later sing that I Choose Joy. Joy is about having great happiness in the future and not necessarily right now.  Joy to the World is about how Jesus has come but also how Jesus will return.  True JOY is found in seeking His return.

 We are told in the Bible to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.” and to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  What does it mean to LOVE though? I don’t know about you but I love bacon, but I also Love my wife.  One, I would do anything for, the other I could do without.  I would do anything for my wife. This is not hard to do. I could do without bacon.  How do you LOVE our Lord?  We Love Him by loving our neighbors.  Your neighbor is not just the person that lives next to you but all people.  We need to Love all people.  By showing this LOVE we are showing how God LOVES us.  We know that God Loves us because He gave his only Son to die for us.  This same Son will return again to take us to heaven to live with Him.

Advent means the second coming of our Savior Jesus Christ!  It makes sense that HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE all have a focus on the future.  The future being His second coming. Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, King of Heaven and Earth!   

 Real. Present. God.