Sunday, December 12, 2021

Advent Devotions: Joy (1212/2021)


 Sunday December 12                            Joy                             Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

These words from the Apostle Paul are familiar ones. We recite them from memory, perhaps even sing them. Their message is both inspirational and aspirational.

Yet as you reflect on them today, perhaps you are feeling some kind of disconnect or tension. In this third week of Advent our focus is on the joy we feel at the upcoming celebration of Christ’s birth. But we also acknowledge that the past two years haven’t brought our world much to rejoice about. More than five million persons throughout the world have died because of a global pandemic, three-quarter million of them in this country. Our society is more polarized than at any other point in most of our lifetimes. We long for a return to life as we used to know it, even as we realize that many things will never be the same. Against this backdrop, Paul’s words may be challenging to hear: Rejoice. Always. Again I will say, Rejoice.

Rejoice, you say? Rejoice when it seems that wherever we turn, we encounter grief and sorrow? To paraphrase the Psalmist: How can we possibly sing songs of joy in this strange and unknown world we in which we find ourselves?

St. Paul’s letter to the Philippian church was written during his imprisonment, to a church that wasn’t exactly in a good place, either—a congregation with internal issues brewing, with two key leaders in conflict. Rejoice, you say?

That’s exactly what St. Paul says. Rejoice. Always. No matter if the circumstances in which we find ourselves seem to be designed to keep us from rejoicing, from living in and sharing holy joy. Rejoice. Always. Because our exceedingly great joy comes from within, a gift from the One who is our strength. Because our joy is complete; it is a joy that no one, and no thing, can ever take away. Because we live in Christ, we can live in deep joy, rejoicing evermore.

Is it hard to sing a song of joy? Sing anyway. Rejoice! The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus every step of the way! And again, rejoice. Stand firm in the Lord, no matter what. Rejoice! He is near, he is with us—Imanu’el.

Prayer: Holy One, you are present with us throughout all the seasons of our lives. Help us to remember always that our joy is rooted in you. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

 

Rev. Dr. Martha Cruz

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