The choice to rejoice...and feast

      "Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you." (Phil.3:1)
     What a treasure, this little book of Philippians, that we are enjoying in Bible study! And a reminder on this fine day in January, with the world about us blanketed by God's remarkable gift of snow, that we daily have the choice--the choice--to rejoice in the Lord...or not.
     Isn't there always room for complaining?  Isn't fussing and fretting easily our default mode?  Go to the store--folks complaining about the snow...or earlier yesterday, the lack of it.  Fussing about the cold or the long lines or the school closings or the interruptions and inconveniences of snow or.... You get the drift.
    Sadly, so do I.  It's all to easy to fall into grumbling or fretting rather than choosing, consciously choosing, to rejoice in the Lord in all things.
    Funny, Paul's words here: it's "safe for you" to hear again the admonition to rejoice in the Lord.  Why safe?  Well, I think it's "safe" because rejoicing guards us against irritability and ingratitude, against discontentment and discouragement.  Try worrying and worshipping at the same time.  Try ruminating over your woes and rejoicing over your Savior at the same time.  Can't be done.  Never.  It's one or the other.
      Rehearse your worries or rejoice in your Worthy Lord.  You choose.  Only choose well--for one leads to despair and the other to joy.
     So a couple of visual reminders of the goodness of God in our lives just the past week or so--

        The snowy woods and greenway.  What a God who creates the astounding wonder of a snowflake!

 Well, and thank You Lord for Bingley and his complete delight in the snow.  He's another little teaching tool--reminding me to rejoice right where I am and in what God is doing.

      Then there's Bingley enjoying the giant pile of coats and ski pants from all the boys coming in from the cold.  Transforming a mess into another cause for rejoicing...reminding me to forget the chaos and focus on the priceless treasure of all these boys.

     The bright red cardinal at the birdfeeder.  Always a personal postcard reminder from God--telling me He loves me.  My response always back to Him--"I love you too, Lord!"

     Then there are these two pictures we just received from the wedding--thank You, Father, for Your faithfulness.  Thank You that we, your children, are Your beloved bride.  Amazing.

     And two of our dear friends, Louise and Anna Neal, celebrating at the wedding!  Just gotta love it!  Rejoicing in the memory of God's goodness--in the wedding and in the friends...

     Can't forget the fun ski trip, Peter, our youngest, took with some great buddies in our church youth group last weekend.  Rejoicing, Lord!--

        All such simple things, really.  Snowing and skiing; puppies and cardinals; weddings and dancing; messes and treasures.  Rejoicing in God's daily provision and daily presence in our lives.  Rejoicing daily.  

     I was reminded of a print we have hanging in our kitchen that some dear friends, the Lestinis, gave us many, many years ago--

     Proverbs 15:15--"...he who hath a merry heart hath a continual feast."   Or as the ESV puts it "the cheerful of heart has a continual feast."  If we choose to have a cheerful heart, then we choose to enjoy a continual feast.  And a continually cheerful heart emanates from only One never-failing Source: the Lord Jesus.  Choosing to rejoice in Him and His goodness.
     And making the choice to rejoice not based on our circumstances, good or bad.  Making the choice to rejoice not based upon our health, good or bad.  Making the choice to rejoice not based upon our emotions, good or bad.
     Nope.  Simply choosing to rejoice because our God is infinitely good.  Infinitely gracious.  Infinitely forgiving.  Infinitely powerful.  Infinitely holy.  Infinitely worthy.  And the remarkable thing is--when we choose to rejoice, we choose to feast continually.  No matter where.  No matter what.  Who doesn't love to feast?!
     So today, might we all make the choice to rejoice in the Lord...no matter what....and be prepared for the feast!
     To God be the glory.