In the last blog, I stated how much I was thinking about Christmas and I went down this path of living with expectant hope; hope and confidence that it is better farther on. I liken this to my childhood and the night before Christmas. I was so excited that I could barely sleep. As a child I was experiencing this expectant hope for Christmas. I was so hopeful of what tomorrow might bring. I know that sounds pretty materialistic, but I am only trying to illustrate the feeling that as I mature I might experience again with the knowledge of Christ and what lies ahead.
Now if we can buy into this expectant hope, it begs the question what are we to do about it? I say we can answer it in one word…rejoice! In Philippians 4:4 we see;
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
This word; rejoice, is very interesting. I recently had the pleasure of hearing someone speak about this word. It has ancient roots and can mean to be exceedingly happy or glad. This person went on to say that to rejoice is more than an action, it is a deep rooted feeling and he used the illustration that it would be much like the joy of a child opening presents at Christmas. He goes on to say that to truly rejoice will require a mental awareness of all the things in life that we have to rejoice about; every breath, every meal, every relationship, and every blessing. Yes, we have so much to rejoice about. So shouldn’t we rejoice about the greatest gift; the gift of our Lord and Savior!
What a comfort, that as a family of believers we can live with the expectant hope that it will be better farther on! This Christmas let us take heart; let us rejoice. As David tells us in Psalm 16;
8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
This Christmas, may your heart be glad, your tongue rejoice, and your body rest secure because Christ will not abandon us. Merry Christmas my friends!
Grace and Peace!
2 comments:
Great Blog Steve!!!
I have enjoyed and look forward to each of your blogs.
I have also had the feeling of excitement this Christmas season, more so than normal..well maybe not more, but different; more as you said “Expectant Hope” and I have been jubilant; a deep down feeling of better things to come, a feeling of when I awake on Christmas morning all things in the world will be righteous, if just not for a slight moment there would be peace on earth.
Rejoice, reminds me beginning of Matthew 5:12 “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven”
Yes Steve, Rejoice in the Lord, Rejoice! ! !
May you and your family have a Blessed Christmas,
Thanks for the blogs
Ted
Thanks Ted,
Your comment and support mean a great deal to me.
Keep them coming, who knows this might be the start of some dialog.
I keep thinking about this Christmas Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel. It contains a refrain which is just sticking with me this Christmas; Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
What a comfort that God is with us!
SC
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