🕯️This week we light the third candle of Advent. This pink candle symbolizes the joy of our salvation and reminds us that as Christ came into this world as a baby, now we can experience the joy of His presence forever.
You have multiplied the nation
And increased its joy;
They rejoice before You
According to the joy of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.For You have broken the yoke of his burden
Isaiah 9:3&4
And the staff of his shoulder,
The rod of his oppressor,
As in the day of Midian.
🕯️ Imagine what Mary must’ve experienced, so young & innocent, yet chosen. Chosen to do a thing so hard.
“How can this be?”
Nearly more than one could handle.
“May your word to me be fulfilled”.
& Joseph—the questions , the doubts, the fears…
Can I trust? God, are you there?
Yet, Joseph did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary as his wife.
Often times the battle within takes over & we forget
—Rejoice!
The Victory…Already Won!
So, let the weight of expectation turn to Holy Anticipation, let defeat turn to surrender & mourning to Joy unspeakable.
🕯️ Father God, we thank You that You are near to the lost, near to the broken-hearted, near to someone like me.
God, I pray that this season would redefine our joy—that we would each remember true joy is found, not in the “perfect” holiday season, not by everything going the way we expected, but may we find our joy in You, Jesus, the same way you take joy in each of us, your children, today.
We’re so grateful we can call You our Lord & Savior, and we worship You today with joy in Your presence, in belonging to You & that You call us a child of God.
THE PEARL COMMUNITY 