These are two sections of Scripture that have grabbed my attention lately:
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7
In the first section, we find the will of God. Many times when we are seeking for the will of God, we are thinking of some big decision or future direction. Yes, it is essential to seek wisdom from the Lord and His Word, but in the midst of seeking His guidance, we need to stop and thank Him in everything that is currently going on in our lives. Note that the verse says “in” everything, not “for” everything. There are things that God allows in our lives that are evil, but He always means it for good, even though that is hard for us to grasp. Joseph certainly experienced evil from others in his life, but he grasped the reality of God’s bigger picture. In speaking to his brothers, he said “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” (Gen. 50:20)
The Scriptures note that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) He is the most stable person that ever walked the face of the earth. He did not have huge mood swings based on what others did to Him. I am reminded of His calm and grateful attitude as He instituted the Lord’s Supper and faced this gruesome death. He first took the bread and blessed it, and then the cup and gave thanks. He gave the meaning of this observance – that His body would be broken and His blood would be shed to signify the new covenant to bring remission of sins. (Matt. 26:26-28) He was viewing the joy of redemption for sinners, for you and me, as he headed to the cross “. . . looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
As we look to Him, He will give us grace to more and more give thanks always and in everything.
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Keith Neds