A Time to Rejoice -- Lenten Reflections



Friday, March 20, 2009
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22


16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise the words of prophets, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.


A Time to Rejoice

“Rejoice always!” That is a difficult command to obey. There are indeed times to rejoice: The birth of a child, the graduation of that same child. A Wedding Day, surely that is a day to rejoice. But can we rejoice always? Even as he presents this request, which seems so unrealistic, Paul goes on to suggest that we pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances. Surely, these are difficult commands to hear and to abide.

The life of faith is not always easy. It can be full of challenges, as Paul himself knew. Even as he wrote these words, he would have had in the recesses of his mind memories of beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonments. And yet, he could say: “Rejoice always” and “give thanks in all circumstances.”

The key is, I would suspect, that encouragement to keep on praying, no matter what happens. And as you pray, know that God is there with you, even as you walk through the times and places of shadows. Paul's advice – don’t ignore the Spirit and the words of the prophets. Keep testing; keep pushing the envelope, knowing that God is there. Yes, know that the God who was in Christ, while on the cross, has reconciled all things (2 Cor. 5:16-19).

As we live lives of joy and thanksgiving, having experienced that grace that comes through God’s reconciling love, we can go forth as ambassadors of that message of reconciliation – and in that there is joy indescribable! (2 Cor. 5:21).

Pastor Bob Cornwall

Devotion taken from the 2009 Lenten Devotional of Central Woodward Christian Church of Troy, MI

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