In the Epistle to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul is writing to a faithful Church, one that served and supported him during and after his ministry there. His letter is a reminder that good Christians can always be better, and that having faith does not mean having freedom from challenges, sorrows or errors; but in his closing words he reminds them, and us, that God grants us peace in the midst of tribulation, and that the pursuit of Christian virtue is grounded in the experience and the expression of Christian joy.
All Christians know something about joy in the Lord. It is a joy we can feel despite troubles and fears, weakness and shortcomings, whether rich or poor, lonely or surrounded by family and friends. The Lord is our companion in times of trouble, our refuge, our righteousness, our healer, our faithful friend.
But the Apostle Paul is not merely commending to us this great feeling of joy, but is commanding us to rejoice: Rejoice always in the Lord, he says; and again he says, Rejoice.
Rejoicing is more than feeling joy; it is more, even, than just words of praise. Rejoicing is the outward expression of the inward experience of our communion with a loving and faithful Heavenly Father. We rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ when we do not only praise him, but also willingly perform his works of love, kindness, justice, beauty and virtue in the world. God’s love is a creative love that is intended not only to give us comfort and confidence, but also to uplift and transform us in our characters and our conduct.
As we pray today and reflect on the words of grace written by Paul, I hope that we choose to rejoice in the way that he shows us to rejoice.
We can rejoice in God and Jesus Christ by following the path that Jesus set for us in seeking all that is good, gracious and beautiful in ourselves and in all of his creation.
We rejoice in the Word of Grace and the peace that passes all understanding.
We rejoice with thanksgiving for the gift of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whose loving and personal sacrifice gives us access to the throne of God and the peace and love that last eternally.
I hope that our prayers this day will be knit together in unity and sincerity, and that they will deepen in us the sense and awareness of God's grace, goodness and love, that we in turn can be conduits of virtue, peace and joy to all the people in our various circles of experience.
May we express our joy in each day through kind words and caring deeds, by considering the needs of others as at least equal to our own, and by sharing our witness of God's love in the ways that we live our lives.
This is my prayer in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.