How ya feeling today? Like skipping, dancing, whooping and laughing?
Well, maybe laughing but not in “I’m so happy” sense, more in the life is nuts sense.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! — Philippians 4:4 (CSB)
Rejoice. Have joy… always. That’s tough to do.
The Apostle Paul calls us to rejoice. Right in the same passage he says don’t be anxious but pray and you will be guarded by God’s peace.
I think that there is a place of understanding that God can bring us to where we’re not walking around with a fake smile plastered to our face but we are still joyful.
Joy is a strong theme through the book of Philippians where it is an expression of faith and in that an expectation of the future that we have in Christ. Consider reading through the book and looking at that word.
In Galatians Paul talks about it as fruit of the Spirit inside of us.
If we are to rejoice or have joy always then we are to walk in faith believing what God says ALL the time.
Yeah, that’s tough but let’s work toward it.
Let’s be reminding ourselves of our reasons for joy and encouraging one another to rejoice not in a fake, hypocritical way but in an “I am believing the truth” way.
Here is a song that calls us to rejoice.
I originally thought of this song as a happy dance sort of song. Not that those are bad but I rarely feel so happy that I want to dance. Rather I want to feel a deep sense of joy even in hard circumstances. I’d expect to have that more than happy dance feelings.
Reading the lyrics of this song more closely I now see it as a call to believe the truth and from that place of faith, rejoice. I really like the line: “He will help you sing Rejoice”
Watch the video, maybe more than once. Consider the lyrics and then check your spirit’s connection to the Spirit of God. Can you rejoice today?
Come and stand before your Maker
Full of wonder, full of fear
Come behold His power and glory
Yet with confidence draw near
For the one who holds the heavens
And commands the stars above
Is the God who bends to bless us
With an unrelenting love
Rejoice, come and lift your hands and
Raise your voice, He is worthy of our praise
Rejoice, sing of mercies of your King
And with trembling, rejoice
We are children of the promise
The beloved of the Lord
Won with everlasting kindness
Bought with sacrificial blood
Bringing reconciliation
To a world that longs to know
The affections of a Father
Who will never let them go
Rejoice, come and lift your hands and
Raise your voice, He is worthy of our praise
Rejoice, sing of mercies of your King
And with trembling, rejoice
All our sickness, all our sorrows
Jesus carried up the hill
He has walked this path before us
He is walking with us still
Turning tragedy to triumph
Turning agony to praise
There is blessing in the battle
So take heart and stand amazed
Rejoice, when you cry to Him He hears
Your voice, He will wipe away your tears
Rejoice, in the midst of suffering
He will help you sing
Rejoice, come and lift your hands and
Raise your voice, He is worthy of our praise
Rejoice, sing of mercies of your King
And with trembling rejoice