Merry Christmas from Joy99!
This December we are focusing our hearts on the phrase “repeat the sounding JOY!” This phrase comes from the classic Christmas hymn, Joy to the World.  Here are the lyrics:

Joy to the world, 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

Isn’t that a cool thought? To imagine the fields, waters, rocks, hills, and plains singing praise to their maker?

There are many scripture verses that speak to the idea that the earth, animals, and nature are joyful and offer praise to God.

“All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” —Psalm 66:4
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” —Psalm 19:1
“Let’s hear it from Sky, With Earth joining in, And a huge round of applause from Sea. Let Wilderness turn cartwheels, Animals, come dance, Put every tree of the forest in the choir” —Psalm 96:11-12
“Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the mountains sing together for joy” —Psalm 98:8

While we don’t SEE creation worshiping God in the same manner we do, what if they worship God just by existing?

The earth worships God. The heavens declare the glory of God. The sky proclaims his handiwork. The sea applauds. The wilderness turns cartwheels. Animals dance. Trees are in the choir. Rivers clap their hands. Mountains sing for joy.

The animals, and the earth, and nature are doing exactly what they were designed to do. They fulfill the purpose for which they were intended. It is funny to think of inanimate objects or creatures praising God, but I believe they do–God made them after all.

If all of creation worships God with it’s very existence, shouldn’t we? If you honestly evaluated your life, would you be able to say that you’re BEING brings glory to God? Phew, that is a tough question. A question I’ll be pondering this Christmas season as I make intentional choices to repeat the sounding joy with my life.