Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
Obedience is difficult sometimes, isn’t it? Though Christians are called to live a life characterized by joy, a fruit of the Spirit, our circumstances have a way of determining the amount of joy that is shining through us.
Yet in my life, I’ve learned that being thankful to God should never be dependent on my circumstances.
Now, the world is going to tell you that your joy should be determined by your circumstances… that if you’ve had a bad day, it’s okay to mope around and feel sorry for yourself. But God calls you to a higher standard.
One of the shortest verses in the Bible says, “Rejoice always.” So you and I are prohibited from allowing our daily circumstances to have so much control over us that they steal our joy.
Instead, find your joy in the Lord. He loves you so much that he sent Jesus to die so you could be rescued from the kingdom of darkness. This doesn’t just translate into eternal life. It also means you have the power of God in you today. What a wonderful thing to be joyful about!
So when the bank account is low and you’re behind on your bills, when you feel alone, or when you’ve had a rough day, rejoice because you are loved.
Find your joy in God’s blessings, not your immediate circumstances.
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 6:20–23
One of the earliest and most successful record companies in America was the Victor Talking Machine Company. Though they have long been out of business, their logo, showing a dog listening intently to a record playing the voice of his master, is still seen today. In 1925, Victor applied for a trademark on the phrase “the gift that keeps on giving” to promote their products. They wanted people to realize that they were not providing a gift that would be used once or twice and then discarded, but rather one that would be used again and again and appreciated for years to come.
Most presents that we give or receive are only temporary. A book may be read once or twice, an article of clothing worn for a few months or perhaps years, and a game may be played now and then. But with a few exceptions, we normally do not expect to use the majority of our Christmas presents long into the future—and certainly not forever. God’s presents are far beyond anything we could imagine, and His gift of salvation has no expiration date.
The gift of eternal life is one we can never use up or wear out. It never goes out of style, becoming dated or obsolete. The Victor Talking Machine Company went out of business decades ago. The gift of eternal life—not deserved but freely offered through grace—never expires. It will last us all the days of our earthly journey, and then throughout eternity.
Today’s Growth Principle:
The great gift of Christmas stretches beyond this world and provides eternal life with the Lord.
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