Rejoice!

“A bright, happy soul, rejoicing in all God’s gifts, seeing cause for thankfulness and gladness in everything, counting up mercies rather than trials, looking at the bright side, even of sickness, bereavement, and death — what a very fountain of goodness and love of Christ such a one is!  I remember one who, worn with sickness and sleepless nights, answered to the question if the nights did not seem interminable:  ‘Oh, no, I lie still, and count up my blessings!”

H. L. Sidney Lear

This quote was part of my devotional reading a few days ago.  It seemed very personal, as I also often have sleepless nights (no, I’m not sick, it’s just age-related!).  It also made me think of the hymn we sang in church this past Sunday, Rejoice the Lord is King.  It was written by Charles Wesley in 1746 for Hymns on the Great Festivals and Other Occasions, and it certainly inspires a joyful heart.

For more hymns about rejoicing see these posts:

The Story Behind “Good Christian Men, Rejoice”

On Our Way Rejoicing

O Come

 

 

 

On Our Way Rejoicing

“‘Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbor as thyself’;  and then go on thy way.  The way in which God shall lead thee may be over rocks and deserts, over mountains and oceans, amid things perilous to the sight and the touch;  but still go on thy way rejoicing.”  Thomas Upham

This quote from my devotions today reminded me of the hymn, “On Thy Way Rejoicing” by John S. B. Monsell (1811-1875).  Monsell was the chaplain and rector of a number of churches in Ireland and England and wrote over 300 hymns.  Now I can’t get this uplifting song out of my mind (not a bad thing), so I’m sharing it with our readers.

Today –The Day the Lord Has Made

This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

This verse was my devotional verse for this morning, and it made me immediately think of a song written by Leslie Norman Garrett, This is the Day.  Born in 1943 on the island of Matamata, New Zealand, Leslie graduated from Faith Bible School, and is currently a minister at the Christian Family Center in Maddington, Australia. He lectures at Hebron Bible College and has traveled widely, speaking at conventions and churches.

“This Is the Day” originally appeared in Mr. Garrett’s collection, Scripture in Song (1967). Since that time a number of stanzas have been added through oral tradition, including “This is the day when he rose again” and “This is the day that the Spirit comes.”  The tune is Garrett’s arrangement of a Fiji folk tune.

The direct quotation of Psalm 118:24 places this praise song in good company with many other hymns and Christian pieces.  Wouldn’t we be happier if we woke up and sang it every morning?

Admonition

The origin of admonition is from the Latin word admonitio, which means (cautionary) reminder. Further the word Admonish means: to warn or reprimand someone firmly.

Why do I bring this up? Because a couple of the many ‘one another’ verses tells us to do just that. Admonish one another. Romans 15:14 and Colossians 3:16.

Still this word seems harsh to our modern ears. No one likes to be reprimanded, it feels like an insult to our ‘be true to yourself’ culture. We want the freedom to indulge in our vices and pleasures of this world. Much like a brooding teenager, we bristle at anyone who might dare tell us a thing is not good to do. And often an attempt to warn someone else (these days) will end in an argument or a one sided verbal lashing.

Why then do we read in Romans 15:14

“And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”

How can we be ‘full of goodness’ and reprimand someone? Isn’t that just people wielding whatever power they might have over someone else? Like a boss or parent wagging their finger at us?  But why shouldn’t we want and welcome constructive criticism? Don’t we need to know our weakness if we are to improve, learn and grow? It appears we can’t have it both ways. If one doesn’t want to be admonished then they have that right; but they will then find themselves in a rut. No longer seeing what it is that may be keeping them from personal growth. Similarly if you accept admonition, you must also accept that a change in habit (or complete halt in activity) must take place.

As is said in Proverbs 9:8 “Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.”

Why? Because a wise man knows rebuke equals improvement. They also know that improvement makes us feel better. There is a huge difference between pleasure, and happiness. Everyone is capable of indulging  in some sort of pleasure, but pure, content, happiness eludes many.

Sing a New Song

“Happy New Year!” is the common cry of the day, but I prefer to wish people a blessed new year. Not everything that happened in 2017 was happy. On an international and national scale, there were natural and man-made disasters of all sorts, leaving many people homeless and some mourning those dear to them who were lost. On a personal front, my mother died on Easter 2017, I had unexpected heart surgery in July, and without having planned or thought about it, as a result of the surgery, I went from being a classroom teacher to an administrator.

But there have been blessings: My second granddaughter was born in May; the change in job is definitely better for my recovery (way less stressful, and fewer hours!), and I am finding that the new job is actually where I am supposed to be at this time in my lfe. I recognize God’s hand in all that has come to pass.

So as we enter a new calendar year, with no idea what may be in store, may we always remember to praise God, and with the psalmist, sing a new song:

Psalm 96

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
² Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
³ Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

⁴ For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the nations are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
⁶ Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

⁷ Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
⁸ Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering and come into his courts.
⁹ Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
    tremble before him, all the earth.
¹⁰ Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
    The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
    he will judge the peoples with equity.

¹¹ Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
    let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
¹² Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
    let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
¹³ Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
    he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
    and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Have a blessed new year, knowing wherever it leads you, God is with you always.

 

A Hard Teaching

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances?  Really?  Give thanks when the car breaks down?  When a loved one dies?  When I’m diagnosed with a chronic illness? When I lose my job? Am I really expected to do that?

The answer is yes.  The words of Scripture are plain.  Give thanks in all circumstances, for whatever is happening is God’s will for me.  In the last blog, I talked about our Sunday School lesson, and how God used the bad things in Samson’s life, even his weaknesses, to further God’s plan.  Our lives are no different.  Things that seem bad in the moment are ultimately working to accomplish something good.  Think about that.  What a wonderful hope we have when we trust in God.  We really can rejoice always because the bad word is never the last word.

So the next time I’m faced with a difficult situation, I’m going to pray and turn it over to God.  I’m going to react with hope and trust, instead of fear and dismay.  I’m going to give thanks in advance, for whatever good things God has in store for me and the world.