Joy
Jesus,
You walked among us—
with sorrow in one hand
and joy in the other.
You received each day as it came
full of grief, full of grace.
We give thanks for the signs of joy
that show up not only in celebration,
but in the endurance of ordinary days:
the child who dances,
the neighbor who waves,
the meal that holds more than food.
Teach us to welcome joy as it comes—
an unexpected guest,
unpolished, unplanned,
yet always worth letting in.
Not earned, not reserved,
but given,
a quiet sign You are near,
and we are not alone.
When joy feels far away—
when sorrow lingers too long,
when waiting is too heavy,
help us remember:
joy and grief abide side by side,
both held in Your holy hands.
May we be a people of full-bodied joy—
not hidden in our heads,
but rising in our voices,
moving through our limbs,
shared at our tables,
carried through the door,
spilling out into our neighborhoods like festival wine.
May our joy draw others in,
Let it remind us
We belong to one another
and to You.
You are the God who rejoices over us with singing.
Let us be a people who sing back—
not because all is well,
but because You are with us.
Let joy be how we pray.
Let joy be how we live.
Amen.
