Joy To The World!

Have you been singing this classic Christmas carol yet this year?  Our church did this morning.  It seems we make a point of singing this song, a declaration of the Good News that would follow the birth of Christ, as our opening salvo on the hurts and depression which would otherwise swallow us whole.  It was God's statement, delivered through His angel, of the relief and delight soon to be revealed to all mankind!

"JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD HAS COME!"

...we sing in the first verse, and we celebrate this great promise, but I really noticed the fourth verse today.

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.

What is this about He "makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness"?  I think it means that no matter what we human beings do or do not do, whether individually or nationally, the only thing we really accomplish is in "proving" that God is both glorious and righteous!  (I take glorious, by the way, to mean "weighty" or important; the extreme degree of relevant, if you will)

When we ignore God's ways and violate the rule of law we find written on our hearts (when we sin), we prove through the terrible (heavy) consequences suffered that His warnings were correct.  And when we trust Him enough to try His ways and commit to follow Him faithfully, we again prove that His righteousness is good and pleasing to the soul.   

I comment frequently on Facebook on the political issues of the day.  I think I see the serious consequences of some of our societal and political decisions that may be coming, and I hope to redirect a few of those leanings.  Don't we all?  But I am comforted today by the assurance summarized in this song.  God will out.  Sooner or later, all of our viewpoints will be aligned with His.  Mine and yours will all be corrected by His impregnable truth and we will only stand before Him and attest that He is both seriously vital, and absolutely correct.

Here is a different take on the song by Jason Gray.  I hope you like it, but please consider the idea that our soft opinions about God are really meaningless.  It is His "glory" and "righteousness" that will stand proven.