Building One Another  

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

Journey into Joy!

Dear Friend –

Rejoice in the Lord, always!

Sometimes we focus on the “always,” and to be sure, as my friend, Bob Shull says, “All means all,” so always means always.

We might mistakenly think this verse means to be joyful for every circumstance,

To be sure, there are intensely joyful moments in life that we love to experience, yet as the drama masks of comedy and tragedy tell us, there are painful moments as well.

A moments reflection tells us the true focus of, “rejoice in the Lord, always.”

IN THE LORD!

We rejoice “in the Lord” and not necessarily “in the circumstances of the moment!”

The joy of knowing our Lord is that in every moment, the “always,” the wonderful moment and the worrisome one, his love is with us and he is in us!

God’s word to us puts this so clearly, “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27

Feeling glad? Feeling sad? Know that real joy is the confidence that directly underneath you are the everlasting caring, holding, hugging arms of the Lord who loves you!

Journey into joy - and rejoice in your Lord right now - and always!

Joy to you – Stan  

© Copyright 2024 E. Stanley Ott

Scripture from the ESV

1. What are some of the experiences in your life that correspond with the masks of drama, comedy and tragedy?
2. How did you approach or avoid rejoicing in your Lord in the midst of those moments? 
3. How does the promise in this verse help you rejoice in the Lord, always: The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27

Listen to the score of the 2010 movie True Grit - it's on Youtube! Be one who leans on and loves the Lord of the everlasting arms, and rejoice!

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