Week 6
Philippians 3:1 “Finally, brethren, rejoice in the Lord.”
The human soul was created for joy! Joy is the native soil of the heart from which desirable flowers grow. Peace, endurance, strength, and contentment are beautiful flowers that flourish in the heart when joy is present. But sadly, sin and rebellion against God put toxins in the soil of the heart killing the joy that once lived there. Joy cannot exist when sin abounds! Sin brings sorrow, darkness, and death.
But in the gospel, the Lord brought the sunshine of love, forgiveness, and hope. We who know and love Jesus through faith in His saving work, experience the eradication of the poisonous effects of sin, finding our souls renewed and reborn to the sunshine of true and enduring JOY!
Thus, our text admonishes the believer to rejoice. This admonition digs down to the hard dirt of insensitivity left in the wake of sin’s awful work. There in the dark cavern of sin’s devilish deed, bright and glorious light comes flooding into our minds and souls. The Lord speaks to His sheep, “Rejoice! Rejoice in the rich gifts I give you from my cross and resurrection. Rejoice in My love for you; rejoice in the satisfying life I give to you!”
As we walk the dusty trails of this terrestrial journey, our hearts are sometimes broken by unkindness, lack of sympathy, misunderstanding, disappointing relationships, hurtful acts and words, and uncaring and faithless friends and family. But, in the midst of all this, despite all this, Jesus smiles upon us and gives us joy. If we would shift our gaze from our dark forebodings and look intently and longingly to Jesus, we will find our joy sparked into a blaze again.
Dear Christian friend, look to Jesus, fix your gaze upon Jesus. Look at His love for you, look at His sacrifice for you, look at His promises to you, and you will find your heart rising in praise and melodious delight. You will be singing the goodness of God. Time will pass, but His promises and gifts to you cannot diminish or fade away. As time goes by you will find a richer and deeper appreciation for what you have in Christ; your joy will be FULL as you experience His love and provision for you in this valley through which you walk. Soon, yes very soon, you will receive your summons to come HOME. And with joy you will go home to your joyful home! The purpose of God for which He saved you will come to consummation, and you will find yourself saturated by the most unimaginable joy possible. You were made for joy; you were made for joy in the Lord. Enjoy the Lord and His promise on your journey to your eternal blissful home.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I am tired of sin robbing me of Your joy. Today, I ask that You please turn my attention from dark apprehensions and fears; please grant that I might in joy look to You in all things. I love You, Lord, and I thank You for Your gifts to me in Christ, gifts that bring me joy, true joy, in You. Amen.