JOY
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ, while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy (Joy to the World by Isaac Watts, ELW #267).
I went to the woods today looking for joy. I wasn’t disappointed.
As I entered this stand of pine trees, I heard the invitation to rest for a while, to listen to the song of creation.
This is the song I heard–the song the pine trees sang:
https://soundcloud.com/stacey-nalean-carlson/we-will-sing-for-you
We will sing for you
Of the peace that’s always near
We will sing for you
Of the joy that calms all fear
We’re the pines that shelter you
Marked by loss, still standing tall
Limbs outstretched to praise our God
The creator of us all
We will sing for you
Of the peace that’s always near
We will sing for you
Of the joy that calms all fear
We’re the needles at your feet
Dried and softened by our age
Making way for something new
Kneeling down to offer praise
We will sing for you
Of the peace that’s always near
We will sing for you
Of the joy that calms all fear
We’re the mysteries laid bare
We’re the truths you stop to see
We’re the love that freely flows
We’re the rocks and hills and streams
We will sing for you
Of the peace that’s always near
We will sing for you
Of the joy that calms all fear
It was the song I needed to hear. It was a reminder that we humans are not the only ones for whom Jesus came. All creation shares in the joy of the Savior’s birth among us.
And when we forget, when we worry the promised day of peace will never come, when we’re too burdened and too fearful to sing the song of joy to the world….creation sings for us.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.