Rejoice and Give Thanks

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

In reading the verse for today, Paul's exhortation to rejoice, my thoughts turned to the Psalter refrain for Psalm 100 in our Methodist hymnal: “Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks and sing.” While we often sing this song at Thanksgiving, its message—and Paul’s epistle to the church in Philippi—are not limited to a single day. They are invitations to a way of life.

Psalm 100 calls us into joy not as a fleeting emotion, but as a practice rooted in belonging. “Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his.” This is the soil from which rejoicing grows—not circumstance, but covenant. 

Paul, writing from prison, knew this truth intimately. His call to rejoice was not naïve optimism; it was a declaration of trust in the goodness and nearness of God.

To rejoice is to resist despair. It is to say, even now, “God is faithful.” It is to enter the gates of each day with thanksgiving, even when the path is uncertain. Psalm 100 and Philippians 4:4 together remind us that joy is not reserved for the sanctuary or the holiday table—it is meant for the everyday, the weary, the waiting—even our “darkest valley” times.

So let us rejoice—not because everything is resolved, but because we are held. Let us give thanks—not because we have all we want, but because we are known and loved. And let us sing—not just with our voices, but with lives that echo the refrain: “Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, give thanks and sing.”

God of steadfast joy, teach us to rejoice—not only in celebration, but in the quiet corners of our lives. Let our thanksgiving rise from trust, not ease; from hope, not haste. As we approach the season of gratitude, remind us that rejoicing is always timely. We are yours. And that is reason enough to sing. Amen.

Peace & Grace,

Pastor Tim