Hope

Reason to Rejoice

We find all sorts of reasons to celebrate. There are the common ones like birthdays, graduations, and holidays. We also celebrate first days of school, sports victories (even when we aren’t the ones playing), and science fair wins. In America, we even get festive about something called “Groundshog’s Day” – where a furry underground creature is supposed to predict the arrival of Spring! We are a celebratory people.

However, we only tend to celebrate when we think something has happened that’s worthy of celebration – when there’s an event that demands a response. Most days, people are complaining about their lives, not celebrating what’s happening in it. As much as we like festive occasions, we don’t carry that same spirit into our every day lives.

Christians, however, know that there is also a reason to celebrate. Even when there are bad things happening in our lives, we can rejoice that the Lord is on His throne. We can celebrate that God –  the perfect, holy, loving and just God that we serve – is the One who holds the Earth in His hands, and is organizing and arranging things according to His good purpose.  Our lives aren’t happening by chance, nor is there someone less worthy (like ourselves) in charge, but instead, the fact that He is reigning over all gives us cause to celebrate, even when there is not much else in our lives that seems worthy of joy.

Psalm 97:1 states, “The LORD reigns,let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!” The Psalmist realizes that there is cause for celebration. If the waves and seas can find gladness in the fact that God is on His throne, than shouldn’t we? After all, we know that God is not only in control, but is also lovingly concerned with our lives. Shouldn’t we consider this a reason to rejoice?

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Growth

Training Days

One day I’d like to run a marathon.

The problem is that means I would have to train to run a marathon. For most people, it’s the thought of all that running that would bother them, but for me, that’s not it. I like running (hence the desire to complete a marathon). It’s just that as of yet, other things take precedence over training. I’d rather be hanging out with my family, meeting with girls in my church’s college ministry, or writing blog posts. To say “I don’t have the time” would be inaccurate – there are just other uses of my time that I consider more important.

However, as a Christian, I know that I must always be training. For example, I must be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within me (1 Peter 3:15 ). I have to work to present myself in a manner that would please God (2 Timothy 2:15)- not in order to be saved, but because He has saved me. These things don’t happen overnight, just like the ability to run a marathon doesn’t. They require work, diligence and preparation.

In Matthew 10:16 we learned why this training is so important. Scripture states:

Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Christ knows that our walk with Him on this Earth will be filled with challenges, and He wants us to be prepared to deal with them.

Additionally, our Savior tells us what this training should entail.

First, we should be girded with wisdom – studying and learning so that we are mentally equipped to teach others about Christ (and answer their questions, provide reproof to other followers when needed, and to encourage one another with Truth.) But in doing so, we should be marked with gentleness and love. Our character and our mental acuity should point others to Christ. Just like it may be tempting for a marathoner to focus on endurance over speed, so in the Christian life it is tempting to focus on one aspect of our training over another. But Christ tells us that we must work on knowing Him and on loving others in order to be prepared.

Just like it would be foolish to think I could get up and run a marathon tomorrow, it would be foolish for the Christian to think that diligent training is unnecessary. Without it, we would not able to accurately represent Christ with our words, and most people recognize that. But we must not think that our words are all that matter – how we present Truth to others should represent Christ as well. And we must train on both fronts. So that in loving others, and in presenting Christ, we can run this race in a manner that pleases our Lord.

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