Rejoice Evermore

Today I am particularly thankful for my church, and my pastor.  We were able to be in our sending church last night.  It was so nice to sit in the services and just drink in everything!  The text was the shortest verse in the Bible… “Rejoice evermore.”

I didn’t know I would have to apply it so soon. It’s nothing big, but a million little things that interrupted my plans for today.  That changed the flow of how I thought things should work.  Little things that can often derail me or cause lots of frustration.  And thought I was very frustrated at moments today, each time I could hear a whisper in my ear, “Rejoice evermore.”

It’s a counter-cultural message.  Stop thinking about yourself, get your eyes off your circumstances, and rejoice – because of who God is.  Rejoice and be thankful for what He has done, what He is doing, and what He is going to do.  It’s not about us – it’s all about Him.

So when the toilet plugged up, the kids were screaming, the milk got spilled, the day started late, the toddler peed all over his sister’s new toys, the Kindergartener doesn’t understand her school lesson, and the twins run away in the parking lot – rejoice.  When its raining and you have to drag everyone out to mail something, rejoice.  When you’re not packed for the trip tomorrow and the kids aren’t napping, rejoice.

Rejoice. Evermore.

And I’m also thankful for the opportunity to have seen my former pastor and his wife last week.  They did an Exchange seminar at our church, and we got to be home for two days of it.  Mrs.  Musgrave was my piano teacher.  Pastor Musgrave officiated our wedding.  They were both so influential in my life as a high schooler.  I was glad to get to see them again!