In this chapter we come across one of the shortest verses in the Bible - ‘rejoice always’ [v16]. The Greek tells us it is a command. Clearly it doesn’t mean we should always be happy and never be sad because we know that our Lord wept at the death of Lazarus.
What Paul is saying here is that we are able to rejoice in every situation we find ourselves in. Let me give two reason why we are able to do that.
First of all, we are able to rejoice in every situation we find ourselves in because God never changes. Circumstances in life change from day-to-day, but God always remains the same. His love, mercy, grace and kindness towards His people never changes. The way into His presence through prayer never changes. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He is always working things out for our good. When it seems that the world is against us, how good it is to know God never changes and we can rejoice in that.
Secondly, we are able to rejoice in every situation we find ourselves in because what Christ has accomplished for us at Calvary never changes. Our salvation doesn’t change with our circumstances. The world and the devil can throw at us all they want, but we are still the Lord’s. We do not lose any of the blessings of our salvation because we have had a bad day.
I think this is what Paul has in mind when he writes about the Christian Armour in Ephesians 6. No matter what the devil does to try to make us stumble we are able to think and meditate on what Christ has done for us. It strengthens us, it causes us to stand against the enemy and to rejoice in our Saviour.
Tomorrow’s Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1
