Joy to the World

A few years ago, when I was at Mizzou and attending The Crossing, we sang "Joy to the World" in a Sunday morning service during the Easter season.

The song is, of course, traditionally played during Christmastime, and it's one of my December favorites. Yet there was something incredibly moving and memorable about hearing that music in April, contemplating the lyrics and their meaning from a varied perspective. A poignant reminder to recognize the Nativity's connection to Calvary....

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of the baby who would save the world; at Easter we celebrate the man who by His death and resurrection, did.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

"Up from the grave He arose"...joy to the world!