Assembly of God
By Norma Ballinger
LW contributor
Rejoice in the Lord always! We hear that phrase often and it tells us that no matter what is going on, we can rejoice in our relationship with God. This is the secret of being content in all circumstances. So many people dream of the day when they will finally be happy; when they are out of debt; when their children and grandchildren are out of trouble and so on. While they daydream, their moments are trickling into the ground like precious balm spilling wastefully from overturned bottles. Fantasizing about future happiness will never bring fulfillment because fantasy is not reality.
Psalm 102 is a prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weary and pours out his lament to the Lord (verses 1-11). In verse 12, he turns to God’s goodness and verse 27 is praise for God’s constant power. Even though he is invisible, he is far more real than the world around us. He is eternal and unchanging, so we are encouraged to bring our moments to him and he will fill them with vibrant joy.
Another good example is Paul writing to the Philippians from jail. Even though he is imprisoned, he is full of joy. The words “joy” or “rejoice” are used 14 times. Philippians 4:4 says “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!” No matter the circumstance, when we remember God’s goodness and grace, we can rejoice.
Pastor Sam Pawlak will be on Facebook this Sunday at 10 a.m. to bring a devotion of hope and love to all who listen. He will be recording a message from the word on DVDs and delivering them to church members and friends on Monday. This is a great tool to keep us in fellowship with one another until we can gather again to worship.
