Rejoice in the Lord
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”
Isaiah 61:10–11
An English preacher named William Burt described how he visited the home of a family during his school days. The father he described as a good man but a “chronic growler.” As he sat with the family, their young daughter began describing the favorite food of each of her siblings. The father asked, “What do I like, Nancy?” After a brief pause the little girl replied, “Well, you mostly like everything we haven’t got.” Burt said that from that day forward he resolved to be careful not to complain.
Every Christian endures hardship and trouble. There are no people who float through life without problems. The difference between those who rejoice and those who complain is not their circumstances, but their focus. Some look at their troubles, while others look to the Lord. When Jesus sent the disciples out they returned with great joy over the results they had seen from their ministry. Jesus responded, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).
The expression “rejoice in the Lord” is not meant to be a motto or a phrase we use without thinking. It is an instruction. He is the source of our joy, and His promises and faithfulness are the guarantee that we will receive all that He has offered, despite the circumstances of the moment.
Isaiah 61:10–11
An English preacher named William Burt described how he visited the home of a family during his school days. The father he described as a good man but a “chronic growler.” As he sat with the family, their young daughter began describing the favorite food of each of her siblings. The father asked, “What do I like, Nancy?” After a brief pause the little girl replied, “Well, you mostly like everything we haven’t got.” Burt said that from that day forward he resolved to be careful not to complain.
Every Christian endures hardship and trouble. There are no people who float through life without problems. The difference between those who rejoice and those who complain is not their circumstances, but their focus. Some look at their troubles, while others look to the Lord. When Jesus sent the disciples out they returned with great joy over the results they had seen from their ministry. Jesus responded, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).
The expression “rejoice in the Lord” is not meant to be a motto or a phrase we use without thinking. It is an instruction. He is the source of our joy, and His promises and faithfulness are the guarantee that we will receive all that He has offered, despite the circumstances of the moment.
Today’s Growth Principle:
A Christian who thinks he has no cause for rejoicing has lost sight of God’s salvation.
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