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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.

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