On the third day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me
three French words: Joie de vivre!
You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.
(Psalm 16:11 NLT)
Today finds me curled up on the couch, nursing a cold. Not feeling much joie de vivre. The common cold doesn’t provide much joy of living. But joy doesn’t always means happiness or health. I accepted my cold (which I am thankful came now, instead of last weekend). I settled into reading and then watching some films that I had on my Christmas wish list.
I watched The Nativity, which I hadn’t viewed in a long time. The setting and narrative action gives the sense of being there. The writer of the screenplay opens with Herod’s edict to kill all children under the age of two. A horrific portrait of power mongering fueled by pride and paranoia.
This tragedy is juxtaposed with scenes leading up to the birth of Jesus. The action takes place with hints of the gospel parables. Vineyards, wind blowing the leaves, figs and grapes and wheat harvest. Chaff blowing in the wind.
And the people of the story. Elizabeth and Zechariah stunned by the joy of a son in their old age. Mary scared, but willing to believe the impossible. Joseph who wavers with his own fears, but believes the good news of the angel.
“A son will be born to her, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 NLT)
This is the real joy. The joy of God’s salvation. This is cause for joie de vivre!
souldare 
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