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Where do you go when your car is running low on fuel? I’m guessing you don’t go to Old Navy to ask for ten gallons of unleaded fuel. That would be ridiculous. Department stores were not designed to provide fuel. 

Where do you go when you’re out of milk in the fridge? You’re probably not taking a quick trip to the post office. The post office was not designed to provide milk. 

I could go on with dozens of other examples, but I think you get the idea: Some places are not designed to provide certain things. 

As we draw closer to Christmas I’m asking you to consider the following question — where do you go when you’re running low on joy?

It may sound like a silly question to ask, but honestly, do we really know where to find true, lasting joy? If we aren’t sure, we may end up looking for joy in the wrong place. 

You won’t find it in the department store, and you won’t find it in a new job title. You won’t find joy in your bank account, and you certainly won’t find joy in food, sex, alcohol, or other indulgences. 

Stuff is not designed to produce joy. 

Money is not designed to produce joy. 

Status is not designed to produce joy. 

Indulgences are not designed to produce joy. 

Trying to find joy in these areas is like trying to buy gas from a department store. It just . . . won’t . . . work. 

Where do we go to find true, lasting joy? If we look at the announcement the angels made to the shepherds the night Jesus was born, we discover the source of true joy. 

“But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11

The angels brought the shepherds good news. This good news was much bigger than a newspaper headline. This good news was grander than a common introduction of a king or queen. This particular good news would be historic because it was not just for the shepherds, but for all people. 

What was the good news that promised to bring great joy? 

The answer is in two small words of the angelic message. These two words entirely change the scope of the message. The two words are “for you.” 

The angel wasn’t just announcing that a Savior was born. Certainly that would be great news, but the fact of a Savior being born would not effectually produce any joy in the shepherds (or us today). The part that produced great joy was the part that the Savior was born FOR YOU! 

If you are running low on joy, take a minute and reflect on this amazing, undeserved, unbelievable, unwarranted, and unreasonable truth — that Jesus was born FOR YOU! 

That also means Jesus died for you, and he conquered death through His resurrection . . . for you! And that brings great joy that is both real and lasting. 

I pray you find great joy this Christmas season!

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