Joy to the World

Consider the story of one young man. Sick and puny as a baby, he remained
frail and delicate all his days. Later, as a pastor, his maladies were so
severe that he could not serve his growing congregation. Instead he wrote
them letters filled with hope and good cheer. Even though his body was
frail his spirit soared. He complained once about the harsh and uncouth
hymn texts of his day. Someone challenged him to write a better one. He
did. He wrote over 600 hymns, mostly hymns of praise. When his health
finally broke in 1748 he left one of the most remarkable collections of
hymns that the world has ever known. His name? Isaac Watts. His
contribution to the Christmas season? Probably the most sung of all the
Christmas hymns, "Joy to the World; the Lord is come."

Could Isaac Watts have written so, if his life had been easy? I don't
know. It is amazing, though, how often persons who have everything are
spiritual zeroes, whereas those who struggle through life have souls with
both depth and height.

King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com