Monday December 15, 2025

Monday December 15, 2025

Light a candle and pray Jesus light of the world come into our darkness and be our JOY!

Read Exodus 12:21-28, 33-36

Joy in Sacrifice

Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us:

[1] Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, [2] looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (ESV)

Before we leave our hard times there is a cost to our joy. For the Israelites in Egypt, it was a firstborn lamb, then the joy of being set free. For us it is Jesus on the cross and because of him we are set free. The joy that Jesus had on the cross is the knowledge that we, a great cloud of witnesses who follow Jesus are with him. If you read Hebrews 11 you will see that it went well for some who followed God, and for others it didn’t go as well, and yet there is great joy in following what God has for each of us.

Jesus is an example, one of many that there is joy in sacrifice. That joy doesn’t just come from getting, but a deeper joy comes from giving. Jesus gives his life, and he invites us to give up ours as well, as a living sacrifice. We all want to enter the promise land, but what are we willing to go through to get there. The joy of Jesus lies before us, it is in hard times, as well as good. In times of poverty and want as well as in times of abundance. No matter where we are we get to seek Jesus and experience the joy that he has because of us.

Today we are going to give some of our time to waiting. In doing so we are training ourselves to know that Jesus does give us joy and takes joy in us. As we wait may we find the joy that Jesus wants to give us. The joy that he has placed in our hearts.  

Set a timer for ten minutes and spend that time in silence waiting for Jesus to shine into our darkness and be our joy.