Rejoice In The Lord
Good morning Immanuel. Let's reflect on what it means to rejoice in the Lord.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).
We generally know what “rejoice” means. We know who “the Lord” is. But how do they fit together? What does in mean?
The Lord is the REASON for our rejoicing.
If I told you to rejoice in your kids, your spouse, or your friends, this is what it would mean. Rejoice because of who they are and the joy they bring you. They are your reason for rejoicing. How much more so, then, is Jesus Christ our reason for rejoicing? We rejoice because of who He is and what He has done–sacrifice, love, mercy, grace, and promise. We rejoice in the Lord because of what He has done in and for us and who He is in himself.
The Lord is the SOURCE of our rejoicing.
Jesus is not only the reason we rejoice, He is also the source of our rejoicing. We rejoice out of the Lord–He is the well of goodness and hope that our hearts draw on for rejoicing. We rejoice in the strength and ability of the Lord–the Holy Spirit (who is the presence of Jesus, Himself) indwells all Christians, and He empowers and adjusts our hearts toward rejoicing in Jesus.
The Lord is the LOCATION of our rejoicing.
When God saves us, we are in Christ. We are spiritually relocated from outside the kingdom of Christ to inside it, from the realm of the dead to the being alive with Christ. It is a deep and wide reality that is not easy to wrap up in words, but it means Christ is with us always, the center of our world, and holds on to us without fail. He is our very life, so we rejoice in Him.
What a comfort to know that “rejoice in the Lord” is a command that doesn’t depend on our ability to gin up praise. It draws on the infinite well of Christ’s goodness and is empowered by His Spirit's constant, unfailing presence.
New Member Spotlight
Meet Erin Moorman, one of Immanuel’s newer members! 🎉
How long have you been in the Immanuel orbit? I started coming to Immanuel in November 2022, right after moving to Nashville from Mississippi. The 15-year anniversary Sunday was actually my first Sunday. I loved getting to hear Ray tell the heart and mission behind the church that day. I officially became a member in March.
Favorite food to eat if we hang out? Either Tex-Mex or Sushi.
One way you see Jesus as work? In the last several months, I’ve just been reminded of God’s providence. I’ve seen him at work in seeing even the smallest prayers being answered in unexpected but incredible ways.
What Immanuel ministry are you most excited about jumping into? I haven’t really gotten super plugged into a ministry yet as I was really in need of a season of rest, but I do look forward to potentially getting involved in music ministry at Immanuel, whether on stage or behind the scenes, sometime this year.
Welcome to Immanuel, Erin! 🎉
Thanks for the devotional and the great idea of highlighting the new members!
Thank you for explaining these spiritual realities that are easy to miss 🙏🏼