As we make this pilgrimage of life
we should be the happiest people on planet earth. Oh, to be sure, the
circumstances of our lives are ever changing. One moment our lives are filled
with that which brings happiness but, as we all know, those moments of happiness
often change into moments of distress and affliction. Still, it doesn’t matter
what the moment is that we are experiencing, we have so much to cause our hearts
to rejoice (John 14:1-3, 2 Cor. 5:1). Stop and think for a moment; our
circumstances may change but the source of our joy never changes and there is
never a moment in our life that we cannot find comfort and joy in the precious
promises of God if we will but seek to find it (Heb,. 13:5, Phil. 4:6-7, Isa.
12:2-3, Rom. 8:29-39, Phil. 4:6-7)). Our faith in God should be strong enough to
always make those moments of distress and sadness only momentary pauses in our
lives.
I know that there is a combination of many things that lend themselves to enabling us to follow Paul’s admonition to always rejoice (1 Thess. 5:16). But I am convinced with all my heart that the one thing that will still the troubled waters of life, the one thing that can and will bring to us the peace that passeth all understanding (Phil. 4:7) is summed up in one word: “SALVATION”. Knowing that salvation has been brought down and is ours, just to be able to say that we are a child of God and as such we know that he will never leave us nor forsake us, should bring rejoicing into our life regardless of what circumstances surround us. Friends, we have a Saviour who can safely see us through all the conditions of this life, good or not so good—Rejoice in the Lord! We have a Saviour who knows just what we need and will, provided we love him and keep his commandments (John 14:5), supply those needs (Heb. 4:14-16). I tell you today in what is perhaps a feeble way, that being in Christ (Gal. 3:27), being a child of God (1 John 3:1, 4:4), should cause each of us to hold our heads high, keep our shoulders squared up and put a bounce in our step come what may in this life--Rejoice in the Lord always!
As we so often sing, “when the sky is gray, when we feel blue, when burdens seem great, look by faith, trust in His promises grand. Trust Him who leads you, He will keep your soul”. Study diligently the 23rd Psalm and be impressed with what our God does and will do for us so long as we trust and obey him. The Lord is our rock, our fortress, our deliverer and taking refuge in him we find the strength that enables us to ever rejoice (Psalms 18:2, 46:1, Heb. 6:18). There should be a smile on our face and a gleam in our eyes for all the world to behold.
The words of another of our grand old songs say it so well: "Sing and be happy, Press on to the goal, Trust him who leads you, He will keep your soul". Rejoice in the Lord always knowing that one day in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye we will be changed as we shed this earthly tabernacle and the day of deliverance becomes ours. The best is yet to come--Rejoice in the Lord, be happy as you sail the sea of life.
Charles Hicks
No comments:
Post a Comment