4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Philippians 4: 4, 5 NIV
We are exhorted to rejoice in the Lord, always. Yet many a morning arrives when rejoicing is the farthest thing from our minds. Fears and worries immediate to us crowd in and complaining more fits our mood. We are also told to let our gentleness be evident to all. How to do this? Is it by keeping to ourselves? Is it by staying tucked away in our homes or maybe even our beds? We are told to do something, and in my case, I choose to go outside and walk. And when I do, I feel more like rejoicing.
Something always happens. It may be a sudden ray of sunshine through a crack in the clouds. Or I’ll see a classic car in a lot across the street that brings back a happy memory. Sometimes a puppy or kitten appears and tries to adopt me. It can be anything, but I know there will always be something to lighten my soul. For the Lord is near.
(Prayer) Our Lord in Heaven, we pray that when we are weak you will give us strength enough to do that which will help us see your hand in everything around us, and so know that you are near. In thy holy name, Amen!
Authored by : Jeffery D. Kooistra