Reading: Philippians 4:1-4

Verse 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Today we turn to our Epistle reading. After a word of encouragement – “stand firm in the faith” – and some pleading to end a little in-fighting, Paul gives us verse 4. The directive is straight forward: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” He says it twice for reinforcement. After a worship service when God was in the house – easy to rejoice! After some really good news – easy to rejoice! After a beautiful walk in the woods – easy to rejoice. Paul adds in a word, though: “always.”

When the stress of work begins to really weigh us down? Yes. When the worries about having or being enough mount up? Yes. When we are being attacked or abused for our faith? Yes. When the diagnosis is grim? Yes. When chained up in prison, sitting on death row? Yes. Oh, that last one? That’s Paul’s situation as he pens these words about rejoicing always.

Is it always easy to rejoice? Well, obviously, no. There are times when it is downright hard to rejoice. Paul would say, rejoice anyway! And do it again – make it a habit. We might not yet be able to rejoice in the stress or worry or abuse or… but we can rejoice in God’s love for us, in the gifts of forgiveness and salvation, in that time that God carried us through, in that time when God made a way when we saw no way, in that time when… Slowly but surely we will move from rejoicing for what God has done into rejoicing because God is there in the midst of our current stress, worry, fear, hurt… And, soon enough, we will be able to rejoice in the Lord always. May it be so!

Prayer: Lord God, the long walk of faith yields a heart rejoicing. Continue to walk with me, helping me to the place where I can rejoice in the lows and valleys of life, knowing you are there with me. Build up my trust and confidence and faith in you. Amen.