Thursday, December 22, 2016

Christmas Joy


"The joy of God has gone through the poverty of the manger and the distress of the cross; therefore it is invincible and irrefutable." 
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God is in the Manger


"Somehow, not only for Christmas, 
But all the long year through, 
The joy that you give to others, 
Is the joy that comes back to you."
John Greenleaf Whittier, from the poem, Somehow, Not Only for Christmas


"But peaceful was the night
Wherein the Prince of Light
His reign of peace upon the earth began.
The winds, with wonder whist, 
Smoothly the waters kissed,
Whispering new joys to the mild Ocean,
Who now hath quite forgot to rave.
While birds of calm sit brooding on the charmed wave."
John Milton, from the poem On the Morning of Christ's Nativity


"Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing..."
Isaac Watts


"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing, 
with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn--
shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the earth in righteousness
and the peoples with equity." 
Psalm 98:4-9



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