No doubt that at some point during the month of December you will hear or sing the popular old Christmas carol - Joy to the World.  According to one of my favorite little books, Stories Behind The Best-Loved Songs of Christmas by Ace Collins, the author of this famous carol desired to make church music more meaningful and joyful. I love it!  And, while was studying Psalm 98, author Isaac Watts was inspired to write the lyrics of Joy to the World.

Keeping in mind Tip 1 and Tip 2, take a minute to read through and ponder the below lyrics.

Verse 1

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.

Verse 2

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.

Verse 3

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.

Verse 4

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.

Tip 3 to help me keep Christ at the center of Christmas (and life)

Repeat the sounding joy!

What will help me keep Christ at the center of Christmas (and life)?  Repeat, repeat, repeat and repeat the sounding joy.  Talk about Jesus, share Jesus, praise Jesus, think about Jesus and proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of the darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9 - I love 1 Peter 2:9 because in addition to telling us to proclaim, it reminds us of what is true about us as children of God. Remember Tip 2! We proclaim because we are a people for His very own possession ... bought or redeemed with the precious blood of the Lamb of God - Jesus Christ.  #wow ... "and the wonders of His love.") It is really difficult to be distracted by the world and the things of the world while remembering where and whose I am and then being moved to repeat the sounding joy:  talk about, share, praise, think about and proclaim Jesus.  Amen?   

So how am I going to keep Christ at the venter of my Christmas and life?

1. Remember where I am

2. Remember whose I am

3. Repeat the sounding joy!

Merry Christmas.

What tips do you have to share?