ALWAYS REJOICE?

Always Rejoice? Rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say rejoice. Philippians 4:4 Each Wednesday night when we meet together, we have a time when we offer prayer requests. We may suffer from a terminal illness or perhaps a loved one has been deployed. We may wonder how we will pay the mortgage or grieve for a family member who has wandered far from the Lord. There’s nothing easy about rejoicing when our lives are churning with turmoil or capsized by tragedy. Elisabeth Elliot, widow of martyred missionary Jim Elliot, once said, “The Christian life is simple, but it’s never easy.” Paul’s instructions in Philippians 4:4 call us to live out this truth. When we stop and think about all the hardships we are dealing with we may ask ourselves, “Did God really mean ALWAYS.” The simple but difficult answer to that question is yes, that’s exactly what He meant. How is it possible to obey this command? Look carefully at the verse: we rejoice IN the Lord. For example, in Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus prepared His followers for the persecution they were going to encounter as His ambassadors. First He gave them a command that He knew would lead them into many hardships: “Go and make disciples.” Then He promised, “I am with you always.” Like the disciples, we are called to navigate dark and difficult waters. But we also can rejoice in the presence of the Lord. He stands beside us, ready to keep us on course. In 2 Corinthians 9:8 Paul says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need you will abound in every good work.” When we allow God’s grace to flow into our lives, He infuses us with the power to praise Him. We can always rejoice in the Lord’s presence and His provision because He has promised that He will always supply what we need (Philippians 4:19). But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:5-6 Therefore, rejoice IN the Lord ALWAYS! Aaron Hodges