Week 37
Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice!”
Joy, real and true joy, is rare in this fallen world. Everywhere sin reigns, death and darkness are soon to follow. The beautiful flower of genuine joy can only be found in the garden of righteousness and God’s love.
The verse before us today has often been the tool by which the Lord creates joy in the hearts of His sad and lonely people. As we consider it today, may the Lord speak powerfully to our hearts about the rare flower of joy.
The Bible here in this text reminds us that real joy must be found in the Lord Himself. Joy cannot be found in circumstances, no matter how fortuitous, in this world. If we look for joy in the situations and relationships found in this world, we will be sorely disappointed, even to the level of despair. Many have hooked their hopes to the frail promises of earthly ideas and things only for those hopes to be dashed to pieces by failure and betrayal. There is no joy in earthly promises. Joy, true and real, can only be found in the Lord. Joy will be found in the person of the Lord and the promises of the Lord. Our faith fueling our hope must rest only in the Lord Himself, His grace, His salvation, and His providential care and promise. Joy can be found nowhere else!
This text also reminds us that joy must be a conscious and deliberate choice made in the heart informed by truth coming from God’s Word. This is not always easy, and often it is a battle. But we must be intentional and obedient to rejoice in God.
The vital necessity to rejoice as Christians is seen in Paul’s reiteration of the need to rejoice in the Lord. We must rejoice in the Lord to complete our joy in the Lord. And as we rejoice in the Lord, especially when our contextual situations scream that there is no joy, this bears a most powerful witness to others of the value and greatness of our God.
Has the Lord removed some temporal joy from your life? Has some material treasure been removed, or has some earthly relationship ended with sadness and sorrow? Out of the ashes of heartache, the supernatural joy of the Lord can and will grow in Christ. Our joy in Jesus tastes the sweetest when the world’s joy falls apart. Do not fear; your joy in God’s redemptive promise and presence can and will survive and thrive in this life. This is true especially when our hearts are moistened by the tears of our pain.
Prayer: Dear Lord, my heart is aching, and I feel such deep sadness right now. This world holds very little joy and hope for me. But I know that in Christ I have the greatest joy of all, and I look to You today as my hope. Please grant to me the strength to continue, the courage to face this day, and the steadfastness to keep going. Fuel my heart’s faith with the joy I have in Christ. Amen.