In Him

Phil. 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always, Again I will say, rejoice!"

Through the years this verse has been light and inspiration. It tells me many things such as what to do, when to do it, and how.

• what: rejoice
• when: always
• how: in the Lord

This morning as I read it once again, I was struck with an obvious thought: Is there any other way to rejoice "always" except in Him? There is not. Nothing else is cause for constant rejoicing. Any other object of affection and joy will fail us. We will be not only disappointed, but most likely devastated. Everything else is passing joy, fading with time, broken and tainted by sin.

As a young Christian my focus was rejoicing. I was not amiss in that aim. Truly this verse speaks most emphatically to that end. And it is right to make rejoicing your constant goal - "always".

But choose carefully the object of your rejoicing. Mere rejoicing will not cause you to be one that endures to the end. We must learn to rejoice in Him alone.

The question resounded in my mind and heart this morning: Is there any other source of joy that is constant, that can afford us continual rejoicing, that is "always"? Apart from Him there is no other way to find such joy.

Last night my weekly book club began reading First We Have Coffee by Margaret Jensen. It is the telling of her mother's story. Mama faced many hardships, but she had learned an important lesson - she never faced them alone, but looked to Him for grace in everything. He was a continuous fount of joy and strength in her life, taking her through suffering and difficulties with victory.

"Some travel the high road in the hills, from peak to peak, where light lingers longer. Some travel in the valleys where they walk in the darkness of their own shadow. Mama would choose to walk the high road with God. She would walk in the light of His grace."

May we rejoice in Him always,

And may our lives boast of His greatness to all generations. Amen.