Rejoice in the Lord

     “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4.

     All of you want joy. Joy to the world. Glad tidings of comfort and joy. Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel, shall come to thee O Israel. Joy, joy, for Christ is born, The babe, the Son of Mary.

     Instead, fear, anxiety, and tension rule the day. You practically feel like you have to be worried and afraid, because it seems if you aren't worried and afraid, then you aren't taking the pandemic seriously.

     You don't have to be worried or anxious. God says so. You can face your days with courage, confidence, and joy in Christ, certain that He has overcome the world, which means He has overcome these difficult times (John 16).

     Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness depends on happenings. For example, if the sun is shining, you feel happier. If the sun goes behind a cloud, you feel an emotional drop. If your team won, you feel elated. If your team lost, you feel somber. Happiness depends on what happens in your life.

     Joy is not the same as happiness. The way Scripture describes it, joy is a by-product of being in the Lord's presence. Psalm 16 ends, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore!” Psalm 43, “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy.” Psalm 122, “I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord!'” Jesus said to the women on Easter, “Rejoice!” On Easter evening, the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

     In Jesus, you have reason to rejoice that the world's darkness and despair cannot quench. By the wood of His cross, He has brought joy to your heart. He has given you His life. His innocence for your sin. His holiness for your impurity. His burial for your resurrection. He has made His Father your Father and bound Himself to you as your brother. He has presented you to His Father as a true family, brothers and sisters joined by the blood of the Lamb. He's given you a conscience at peace with the stain of sin washed away. And He's done all this without you asking! Do you really think that Jesus will overlook the smaller matters of your life? Of course not. Even the hairs of your head are numbered.

     Therefore, rejoice! Take courage and face the days with lively confidence in Christ. You are the redeemed of the Lord. You are loved by Jesus. That is a cause of joy that no one can take from you.