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REJOICE EVERMORE
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19
1 Thessalonians 5:16

Psalm 100

 

“Rejoice evermore.”

 

REJOICE EVERMORE
 
Coming to the close of this epistle, Paul gave a series of short simple imperatives (commands) that we are all to do always without ceasing. These are fundamental to our Christian lives. They are key to having a vibrant spiritual life and central to the richness of our walk with the Lord.
 
The first command is that we rejoice in all circumstances, at all times. From the time that we become believers, we have the joy of the Lord in us. It is a lifelong source of joy that we can always have, for by faith we can always “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom 5:2). Through Christ, we have the assurance of our eternal salvation. We are confident in the goodness of God and know that He is always with us and caring for us. Therefore, Christians can always rejoice for we have Christ. As Isaiah 61:10 declares: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness…”
 
Yet the reality is we are not always rejoicing in the Lord. Instead, we try to find joy from the fleeting carnal experiences of the world. We seek satisfaction in pursuing wealth, our careers, our relationships, in amassing material things, etc. Our moods are constantly swayed by our changing circumstances. When our desired expectations are not met, we get bogged down by anxiety, regret, anger and other emotions that rob us of true joy. They become noise in our soul that prevents us from a blessed communion with God. We lose sight of Christ and forget the wonderful joy that we should always be able to enjoy in the Lord.
 
We must be convicted to know that the greatest and purest joy can only be found in our relationship with God and actively obey this command to “rejoice evermore.” When we feel that the trials of life are getting us down, we must turn to Christ and remember that our hope is in Him alone. We rejoice because of who He is and what He has done for us. We must wean ourselves off the things of this world that corrupt our biblical idea of true joy, and seek Him alone for our joy and satisfaction.
 
THOUGHT: Only Christians can have true lasting, abiding joy.

PRAYER: Father, may I always experience true joy in Thee alone.

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