◄ What Does Philippians 3:1 Mean? ►

Joy was much on Paul's heart as he wrote his letter to the saints in Philippi, and despite the fact that he himself was being held as a prisoner in chains, he did not allow the circumstances of his life to affect his joy in the Lord. And as he neared the end of this epistle of encouragement to his brothers in Christ, he repeatedly called each one of us to rejoice in the Lord - to be joyful in God our Saviour - to delight ourselves in Christ our Lord.

Too often we permit the difficult circumstances of our present situation or the careless attitudes of other people, to rob us of the inner, unshakable joy we have in Christ Jesus today. How important to take our eyes off the temporal and focus on the eternal.

How necessary to look away from today's storms clouds that appear so threatening and which can so quickly cast a shadow on the eternal hope we have in our heavenly home, which is rooted in the Word of God and grounded on Christ Jesus our Lord.

How necessary to take our eyes off this world, which is passing away, and turn our gaze onto Christ. We are already seated in heavenly places with our Bridegroom. Let us not stare down at the world with its trials and tribulations, and instead keep our eyes on Jesus. And as our perspective changes, the things of the earth lose their vice like grip on us, and the things of Christ become our focus, then the only natural result is an outpouring of rejoicing in our Lord.

Let us heed this final call of our dear brother in Christ to rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice.

Loving Father, thank You for Your grace and love toward me and to all those that are Your children. May I rejoice greatly in You, for You are my everlasting hope and my ever present joy. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.