“A Letter of Joy
‘Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again I will say, rejoice!’
– Philippians 4:4
Go with me back in history a couple of
thousand years. Let’s go to Rome…to a rather drab little room, surrounded by
high walls…Inside we see a man seated on the floor. He’s an older fellow,
shoulders stooped and balding. Chains are on his hands and feet…
It is the apostle Paul…The apostle who was
bound only by the will of God is now in chains – stuck in a dingy house –
attached to a Roman officer…
He is writing a letter. No doubt it is a
complaint letter to God. No doubt it is a list of grievances…He has every
reason to be bitter and complain. But he doesn’t. Instead, he writes a letter
that two thousand years later is still known as the treatise on joy – Philippians…”
–
Max Lucado
I am exhausted. I have
gotten a total of 9 hours of sleep in the last three nights combined. My mental
and emotional states have been up and down because of personal things in my
life and the lives of some of my dear friends. Then today, my friends’ sweet
baby (whom I’ve written about before) was taken to the ER because he turned purple
and was throwing up. He has RSV and pneumonia. When I got the news, I began shaking and I couldn't even concentrate. I left work right away to go to the hospital…
It seems like life is extra challenging lately. I don’t know what
it is…just people all around me going through such intense heartache and pain
and some becoming really ill…it’s just so exhausting thinking about it all.
I can feel the enemy attacking all around me…
“Rejoice in the Lord always.” What an incredible reminder that God
is always there.
It’s crazy how tragedies can put things into
perspective…
Praying in my car on the way home from the hospital I just thought
on the truth that God allows all things to happen for a reason. One of my dear friends reminded me – NOTHING comes as a
surprise to God. NOTHING.
Because of that – we can trust Him with our
present and future.
We can rejoice
in His goodness and rest in His
omniscience.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.”
– Matthew 11:28
Praise God.
