This does not mean a stupid kind of happiness or a sick smile, nor does it mean there are no tears or that things in this world are not as bad as God says they are. This joy is connected with the reality of our knowledge of who Jesus is, our relationship with Him and our worship of Him. Imagine you are a shepherd on the hillside, and when the heavenly host appears you are not to be afraid; you are to have joy.
I appreciated this, too. Dr. Schaeffer is still with us, with the revolutionary notion that, despite the nodding opinion of the world, we don’t check our brains in at the Church door. It was a message I badly needed to hear 40 years ago, and need reminding of even now.
That’s a good post. Merry Christmas to you, Alex!