Rejoice Always

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus
~ 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18

It is Thanksgiving Day, and my heart is full of gratitude for God’s blessings. Today, I encourage you to join me in that spirit. If you are fortunate, consider how you can bless those who are less fortunate. If you are free and at liberty to do and say what you wish, consider the oppressed people around you, across this land, and around the globe; how can you bless them? If you live with order and peace, think about those who live in chaos, both internally and externally driven. What can you say or do to serve them in Christ’s name? If you suffer from hatred, judgment, shortsighted accusations, do not return evil for evil. Consider those whom ruthless leaders imprison and kill for lesser things. Be grateful that your enemies only wound your pride or mildly hurt your reputation. Count it a blessing to be thought foolish for the love of Christ. If you’re a sinner, welcome to the club! We are all guilty before God’s holiness. Yet, God loves us and desires intimacy with everyone so much that God gave the greatest gift only God can give so that God could save us from a just wrath. Thank you, God!

I am most thankful for the gospel conundrum — God is angry at our sin, but loves us so much that God saves us from it. Reverence for God’s timeless sovereignty and amazing grace demands extraordinary loyalty, even while we continue to work out our salvation. While doing so, we are to love one another as God has loved us. The mystery is that we cannot change who God is, but we can change how we think of God, ourselves, and others, even if it seems like a contradiction. So, we do not have authority to judge and condemn ourselves and others just as we do not have authority to redefine God… “I am that I am” says God. (Exodus 3:14) I wish I could help everyone understand this because I am truly thankful to share the world with you and I am grateful for all that you contribute to it. I genuinely wish you joy and peace. But I love and revere God so much that I am compelled to honor God’s Word and continually strive to live it out in my life. While I continue to fall short of God’s glory, I cannot diminish God’s glory for the sake of my flesh—God saves me, anyway!  Thanks be to God. Today, I urge you to give thanks to the One who rightly deserves all the credit. Please choose to honor God at all costs, even while loving all neighbors as God has loved you.