Story of Joy
I had the privilege to have one of the most amazing godmothers on the planet. She took her role as a godparent very seriously. It was her goal to saturate my life with God’s Love and to make sure I knew Who I belonged to.
Her name was Aunt Arlene.
Aunt Arlene took so much pride in my faith walk. She had the biggest smile on her face in my baptism pictures. She often asked about what I was learning in Sunday School and about my favorite Bible stories.
In April 2000, Aunt Arlene gave me my first “real” Bible. I was a sufficient reader, so she felt I needed to level up from the children’s picture Bible.
Not long after this, Aunt Arlene got sick.
After a long evening of VBS, my parents told me we were visiting Aunt Arlene in the hospital. On the short ride from the church to the hospital, my parents asked me to think of my favorite bible verse.
That’s a lot of pressure for a kid under the age of 7 in a 5 minute drive. So I picked the verse I read that day out loud at VBS.
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
— Matthew 2:10
As a teenager looking back at the moment of confident declaration, I think “how lame!”
And in my 20’s and now 30’s I say the same to my teenage self about the name of this blog. And we embrace it. But I digress…
Sweet Aunt Arlene, smiled and asked why it was my favorite from her hospital bed.
I told her, “It’s so amazing that just a star was enough to give them joy.”
The Advent Story of Joy starts at the end. It starts at the most famous Passover meal.
You can pick any disciple you’d like. I’m picking Peter - not because I think I’m the foundation of the church. But I have lots of questions like Peter. And Lord knows that I would be the one to deny him - more than three times!
You’re at the table with your closest friends. The feast is spread across the table. It’s a simple meal including unleavened bread and wine just like that in Scriptures (see Exodus 11-12). The energy in the room is beaming. You pat Matthew on the back and give him a smile. You shoot a smile and wave across the table to Thomas. You lean over to Philip and crack a joke.
Then you lift your head. There is Jesus at the head of the table. You catch each other’s eye. Without thinking, a smile forms across your face. Jesus - your dear Friend and Teacher. And then He stands.
He raises the bread and He gives thanks (Luke 22:19). He continues with the cup. A joyous evening of thanksgiving, though, quickly gives way to grief and guilt.
Jesus declares this is your last meal together. After three years together, how could He just leave like that?
He says one of us would betray Him. You scan the room - to one side Matthew, the other Philip. You catch Thomas’s eye this time. You quickly look over to Simon and Andrew. Everyone was shocked.
Then Jesus looks right at you: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
You think, “Me? Simon Peter? Me?” But you respond:
“Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” (Luke 22:31-34)
Guilt stings your heart. Your best friend, the man you endeared yourself to, you’re going to deny him? No way.
When dinner is over, Jesus invites you to sit and keep watch while He prays. He was in the garden for a long while. So you take time to think.
You play through the words again - denial, blood shed, thanks. What was that last word again? In Greek, He said “eucharisteo.”
You feel yourself falling asleep. As you do you hear the root of that word - eucharisteo. Charis - grace. Chara - joy. Joy in the midst of deep betrayal. Joy in the simplicity of the Passover meal.
One of my favorite authors, Ann Voskamp summarizes this idea of eurcharisteo this way:
“Deep chara joy is found only at the table of the euCHARisteo - the table of thanksgiving.”
The Advent Story of Joy is fulfilled by the end of the story - at the table of thanksgiving. The fulfillment of the prophecy of joy was found in the simplicity of unleavened bread and a cup of wine.
The Maji saw it in Matthew 2:10 in the simplicity of the star - the fulfillment of the prophecy of joy.
Sweet Aunt Arlene went to be with Jesus about a month later, on my 7th birthday.
What she didn’t know nor did I, was that a year later, I’d carry that Bible to a campfire. And at that campfire, I gave my life to Jesus. And oh the deep chara joy I’ve felt since then.
You can read my testimony here.
