“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation (sweet reasonableness) be known to all people. The Lord is at hand.” – (Philippians 4:4,5)
While Paul sat in a Roman prison, he wrote of all the distresses and dangers the Believers were facing in their “crooked and perverse” times - vicious unbelievers, evil workers, legalists, sickness, chains, poverty, and oppressions. But he countered them all by speaking of joy in Christ fourteen times.
“Rejoicing always” would be unnatural, it would appear to trivialize evil, and even be considered lunacy, if it wasn’t qualified by the statement “in the Lord.” In the best of times, our joy is still that “our names are written in Heaven” (Luke 10:20). In the worst of times, we can sing the tear-stained lyrics of Horatio Spafford, “Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blessed assurance control: that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and has shed His own blood for my soul.”
In the most dangerous of times, we can rejoice that, “You, O Lord, are a Shield for me.” In distresses we rejoice in knowing the One who said, “Peace, be still,” and will yet speak those very words to fighting nations. In our needs, we rejoice in His promise, “Your Heavenly Father knows what things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:32).
In every situation, may the world see in us a “sweet reasonableness,” of character, an undefeatable joy, and a peace that passes understanding, because of Christ’s daily presence and help. Even as we witness the world being overtaken by Antichrist powers, we rejoice in His words of victory… “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – (John 16:24)
Hallelujah. He has! And He is at hand.
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