Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4 NIV
When we say we rejoice, it means we have or possess something that makes us glad. For example, when children are born, we rejoice in their arrival. When we voice our joys on Sunday morning, we express our happiness for God's many blessings. We rejoice in the big and the small gifts in our lives.
At Christmas time, we remember and rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ. That wee babe sent from God to dwell among us and demonstrate what it means to be holy. We give thanks for his sacrifice to atone for our sins and rejoice in the Holy Spirit sent to live within us.
The Lord is gracious in his spiritual and physical gifts. When we receive these gifts, they become our prized possessions. Yes, we earn some things by the sweat of our brow. But even our ability to do that results from God's gifts. So when we reflect upon the bounty of his grace -- the things we possess, if even for a short time -- we have much reason to rejoice.
Gracious God of all good gifts, we rejoice in you and give thanks for all we have. We especially give thanks for Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus, we find freedom and deliverance, and in the Holy Spirit, we find righteousness. Lord, help us share our joy with others. May our words and actions glorify you. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
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