Rejoice in the Lord
How do you rejoice?
Verse of the Day
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Today’s Devotional
I love how God works. I use Scripture to go to sleep every night. It quiets my brain. For months I have been saying “Be still and know that I am God” over and over again in my head until I fall asleep. Recently, probably about 2 weeks ago, I decided that I needed a different verse. This is the one that came to my mind. So this verse is what I say to myself as I fall asleep at night.
What does it mean to rejoice in the Lord? I can only tell you what it means for me. I rejoice in the fact that God is God and I am not. (Can I get an “Amen!”?) I celebrate that God is in charge of all things and people. I am so glad that God’s will cannot be thwarted or changed, no matter how much I mess up or how crazy the world gets. I rejoice in the small acts of God I see in my life when I am looking. I rejoice over the victories that God has granted me. I rejoice in the victories and obedience of others. I rejoice over God’s love for me that is so big that he sent Jesus to die on my behalf. I rejoice over answered prayers. I rejoice over verses in the Bible that remind me that it’s ok to be weak. I rejoice when I feel heard and understood by God. I rejoice when God gives me the strength to obey. Rejoice when God allows me to have conversations with people that are meaningful about faith. I rejoice that God actually calls me to rest. I am filled with awe and joy when I see a beautiful sunset. Or a red bird. Or a hummingbird.
One thing in particular causes me to rejoice in a way that usually causes tears: Unexpected kindness from one human to another. I was listening to a podcast this morning. The woman being interviewed was talking about a really challenging time in her life when she had no money to buy food. Out of the blue, a man from her church asked her if she could stop by on her way home from work. When she got there, he handed her his debit card and told her to go to the grocery store and stock her pantry and fridge. That kind of kindness just kills me in the very best way. When one human listens and obeys the urging of God to shower another human with kindness, I need a Kleenex. Because it is so clearly God moving through humans in a way that really matters. It makes me rejoice that God cares so deeply and specifically.
But did you notice that the verse says to rejoice twice? And it doesn’t really sound like a suggestion, it seems more like a command. Why? Because it is a choice whether we rejoice in the Lord or not. And based on all the other things we are told to do in the Bible, rejoicing in God must be in our best interests. I am happier when I am thankful and joyful. My perspective is different, in a much better way, when I am looking for and seeing all the good that God is up to. And God knows us well enough to know that.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
What does it mean to you to “rejoice in the Lord”?
Make your own list of how you rejoice in the Lord.
How is your perspective different when you choose to be joyful?
Look for more things throughout the day to add to your list. And maybe…look for a way to be unexpectedly kind to someone.