CREDIT: Kolby Milton on Unsplash
Dear Saints,
Some people have a name which describes them perfectly. My Aunt Joy was such a person. I’m sure she had her moments, but whenever I was around her, her name was perfect. She was a joy to be around because she always seemed to rejoice in the gift of life she had received from God.
On the third Sunday of Advent, Paul encourages us to “Rejoice always!” (1 Thessalonians 5:16) Don’t limit rejoicing to just before Christmas – or to times when good things happen – but always! However, in a year like 2020 that’s hard to do. I won’t recap all the reasons – we all know why it’s been such a difficult year for so many of us. Yet Paul calls us to “rejoice” – even in these times of great difficulty.
The reason we can rejoice, despite the many challenges we’re all facing, is “who” we rejoice in and “why.” Unlike many in the world who are walking in darkness without faith in Jesus Christ, we are filled with rejoicing because of faith in Jesus. The Son of God came to dwell among us when He was born in Bethlehem. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection to new life we rejoice in knowing that our sins are, in fact, forgiven. We rejoice in knowing that, thus forgiven, we also receive the gift of eternal life in His kingdom. In His eternal kingdom there will be no 2020s or any other times fraught with struggle and sadness, intolerance and isolation. Our faces will be uncovered as we come face to face with our Creator, God Himself.
The reality of our lives as we approach Christmas 2020, is this – it’s hard to rejoice always. But we can because God promises to keep us “blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ … He will surely do it!” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). I’m sure this is how my Aunt Joy could “rejoice always.” And one day, I long to join her and all the saints as we rejoice in God’s presence forever.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Pastor Jim