Rejoice Proudly
We rejoice proudly at the birth of a new baby, purchase of something that is special to us, landing a new job...inhaling the scent of the salty air as we walk along the seashore...admiring the beauty of our gardens...
However, did you know...in Romans 5:3, when Paul said "but we also glory in tribulations" ...this is a verb and it means, "Rejoice proudly" and "express great joy." A verb is an action word therefore, it means we go beyond our stand of faith, our confession of God's promises and we step forward, open our mouths and begin to dance and sing before the Lord our God. We put action to our faith and no matter what it looks like or feels like, to dance and sing to the Lord is rejoicing proudly and expressing great joy. We are then being obedient to the Word and can expect, look for and anticipate the blessings of God.
James, the precious servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, reiterated the same thing as he began his writing to the Church. He told us to "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials".
We are to count and consider every mountain we are facing as an opportunity to "rejoice proudly, expressing great joy."
Is that something we want to hear as we hunker down, readying ourselves to get through our storm? Is this something I want to hear right now as we face the biggest challenge yet of our lives? Not really, but it is a better alternative than being depressed, scared and discouraged.
It is definitely much harder, something we must train ourselves in and a Voice gently reminds me that it is now when we "continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name."
...His Name - Jehovah Ropha - Healer ... His Name- Jehovah Jireh - Provider
I look to the Cross and I see that our challenges do not invalidate the truth of God's Word - they begin to prove my faith.
As the Blood drips red over our lives, I remember the words of Peter. My heart is encouraged when I read in 1 Peter 1:5, "I am kept by the power of God". What a glorious thought to ponder - being kept and cared for by the power of God.
The balloon pops as I consider the reality of the trial but the Blood drips red. Our trials are to prove the genuineness of our faith, my faith, which is so pleasing to God. My faith is and will continue to be tested so that I realize how much more precious it is than gold!
Though we go through the fires, the floods and face the strong north winds of life, the Blood of Jesus, dripping red over our lives keeps us steadied and secure.
We go through our trials unharmed because of the power of the Blood of Jesus. There is no compromising this truth and 1 John 5:4-5 tells us something worth getting excited about.
Look! Verse 4: For whatever is born of God (as Christians that is you and I) overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - Our Faith. 5: Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
I need to see through this place in time knowing that now is a transition time. We are in the midst of transforming our situation, our position of desperation, loneliness and fear to seeing through, to persevering, to standing strong upon the promises of God's Word.
We want to see the magnificence, glory and splendour of our God through this tribulation whose name is cancer. Seeing that even this dreaded name must bow its knee to the much greater Name of Jesus. To that end, we persevere and rejoice proudly.
Perseverance gives us a deep inner hope, a determination to never give up as we hope and hold onto the unfailing promises of God.
We are willing to have our characters honed, shaped, refined as purest gold or silver in the Refiner's Fire.
We are willing to give up today's pleasures for the greater treasure of knowing the unfathomable riches of Christ. Knowing in the most intimate sense He who created us and fashioned us to fulfil His purposes and plans for us.
We may never find that great treasure if it were not for our trials and tribulations. We must be consistent in our digging into God's Word, renewing our minds with His words so that we can live, freely, bound by the Blood alone.
In the consistency of doing, we find perseverance as we unearth the great depth of God's love and unfailing promises.
The Blood drips red over our lives and gives us eyes that truly see. We rejoice proudly for the riches of His grace abound toward us. The Sufficiency of the Almighty is a gift given by His grace.
We long for the glory and must not shun the fire. The vessel that has been in the fire is the one that more radiantly reflects the glory of God within.
May we learn the more of the Father's Nature...May we seek the Father's abundance in His Nature and Character...
So rejoice proudly, be of good cheer, our faith gives us the victory as we run our race with perseverance and endurance. Hope in God never disappoints. With our roots firmly rooted in the soil of God's Word, we can face the storms of life head on - but like a tree firmly rooted by the rivers of Living Water we will bend and not break.