Philippians 3:1a

Posted by DJL on Nov 7, 2012 in Daily Bread | 0 comments

Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.

Earlier I referred to Paul’s correspondence with the Philippians as a love letter, not in the romantic sense but rather as an example of the Christian love displayed between a community and its leader. Others have called this “Paul’s letter of friendship” to capture much the same thing. But we might also call it the “letter of joy,” as rejoicing is one of its key themes. Indeed, Paul talks about rejoicing at a half dozen or more places in his letter, each time filling out for the Philippians and us just what he means. Several things to note:

First, rejoicing isn’t dependent on circumstances – one can rejoice whether things are going well or not. Hence, in 1:18, Paul rejoices that Christ is being proclaimed even though the motives of some of those proclaiming him may be rather sketchy.

Second, while rejoicing is something one can do alone, it seems more naturally a group activity. That is, there is something about rejoicing that inherently responds to and derives from Christian fellowship and community. So Paul in this verse and others (2:18, 4:4) invites the Philippians to do this together and with him.

Third, rejoicing is not only something we can do with each other, but also for each other. That is, rejoicing not only reflects our life in community but encourages and supports it. So when we rejoice we may celebrate the accomplishments and blessings of another or we may console and encourage another and in this way share our joy with them. In either case, rejoicing becomes a way to connect with others in our community.

Fourth, rejoicing seems closely linked to gratitude. Rejoicing, that is, is recognizing the goodness – of God, circumstances, or each other – and allowing that recognition to permeate our whole lives.

Fifth, for this reason rejoicing is something that can be practiced. While we may think gratitude and joy are spontaneous attitudes, we can actually make the attempt to “count our blessings” and “choose joy” and in this way not only grow in our capacity to give thanks and experience joy but also live into the transformative power of gratitude. No wonder Paul will write not just “rejoice” but “I will say it again: rejoice!” Like anything worthwhile, rejoicing takes practice.

Sixth and finally, for Paul there is a particular emphasis on rejoicing “in the Lord.” If there is one thing that distinguishes joy from happiness – and, to be honest, I think Christians have often overstated that difference – it may be that Christian joy is rooted in the hope and confidence that stems from God’s outpouring of love we see in Christ’s cross and resurrection.

So there it is. Not much left to say except, perhaps, “Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!”

Prayer: Dear God, let our lives be filled with the gratitude and joy that comes from rejoicing in all that we have in and through you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.