Skip to main content

Rejoice

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)

          Are there verses in Scripture that you don’t like, perhaps that make you cringe? In my mind, a pastor reads this verse, and John Belushi leaps onto a pew and shouts “Food Fight!”[1] The whole church goes berserk. Of course, that’s not what really happens. And I readily admit that other people have every reason to complain from the other direction. The pastor quotes this passage and one corner of my mouth twitches upward for 0.0362 seconds. When questioned why I’m not rejoicing, I proclaim that I did…I was…I am…and they interrupted. That’s not what really tends to happen either, but it could – and in a more polite sense, it does.

          Have you ever heard a pastor or a worship leader say something and when the audience didn’t respond, they repeated themselves or criticized the congregation for not being awake, responsive, etc.? Have you ever heard a member of the worship team complain about how hard it is to sing when the congregation sits there, stony-faced? I have. And I’ve been part of choirs and done special music, and looked out at faces that weren’t grinning. I understand how they feel, but I also understand how it feels to have someone tell you you’re not rejoicing according to their standards and if you don’t get with it, you’re disobeying God.

          I have a friend who is “thinking magnificently” about God in little morning devotionals and I agree with her. I feel guilty that I’m not waxing eloquent about what a wonderful God we have in this blog.

          So here’s my challenge to myself and to you. Take a few moments today to rejoice in the Lord. Sing along with a hymn or worship song you love. Watch the sunset, or your grandkids or whatever makes you glad that God is in your life today. Enjoy Him in it however you choose to enjoy Him.


[1] In case you forgot or never saw the movie – it’s a reference to Animal House, which celebrates all of the worst stereotypes of college frat life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more