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Today's Devotion
From Dr. David Jeremiah
NOEL—Ways to Celebrate the Season: Love and Laughter
December 21, 2024
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
Psalm 126:2
Recommended Reading:
Psalm 126We were like those who dream.2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,And our tongue with singing.Then they said among the nations,“The Lord has done great things for them.”3 The Lord has done great things for us,And we are glad.4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,As the streams in the South.5 Those who sow in tearsShall reap in joy.6 He who continually goes forth weeping,Bearing seed for sowing,Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,Bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalm 126:1-6
Comedian Milton Berle said, “Laughter is an instant vacation.” As we come to the last letter of our NOEL acronym, let’s use love and laughter for L. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul bragged on the people for their “labor of love” (1:3). He said their love was good news to him (3:6). Then he prayed for their love to “increase and abound” (3:12). He said God had taught them to love one another (4:9) and that they should do so more and more (4:10).
We love our friends and families, despite all the ups and downs that come with close and sometimes complicated relationships. The Lord teaches us how to love one another. Let’s do so more and more. Let’s display our love with laughter. Not hurtful, sarcastic laughter, but the laughter of fun and fellowship. Especially at Christmas. The people in Psalm 126:2 said, “We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, ‘What amazing things the Lord has done for them’” (NLT).
Let your love and laughter be contagious this season.
If God is God…then laughter fits life.
Charles Swindoll
