Readings:
Isaiah 25: 1-9
Psalm 23
Philippians 4: 1-9
Matthew 22: 1-14

Collect:
God, our judge and saviour,
teach us to be open to your truth
and to trust in your love,
that we may live each day
with confidence in the salvation which is given
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Reflection – Rejoice in the Lord always

I wonder what gives you joy? What are you thankful for? Many people, I suppose, will think of children, or grandchildren, family or pets. Some will reflect on the natural world, or be thankful for their job, their home, their health, in an age when many have none of these things. These are really good things to be thankful for, and joyful about. But I wonder how many of us (honestly!) would say, without being prompted, that knowing Jesus gives us joy. That our faith in, and experience of, God is the greatest source of our joy, and the central reason for our thankfulness?

There’s a modern Christian writer called Gordon Fee, who put it like this: 

‘In every truly Christian life the most obvious evidence of the experience of God’s grace and peace is gratitude and joy.’       

Well, that certainly points an uncomfortable finger right at my heart - what about you? I confess that far too often I let circumstances pull me down, so that I focus only on the struggle, rather than the promises of God. And I’m sure many of us know what it’s like to feel that way – dragged down by busy-ness or illness, by money worries, a difficult relationship or past experiences. Sometimes it’s hard to summon up feelings of joy.

Even so, Paul encourages us: “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.” 

Because actually Christian joy is not about feelings. It’s not about whether things are going well. 

It is about an ‘attitude of gratitude’. About a mind-set that makes us ‘press on’, in the faith and knowledge that God has already been far more gracious to us than we could hope or deserve. It’s about casting all our cares on God, turning to God in prayer, focussing on things that are true, honourable, just, and pure. 

Having that kind of mind-set requires quite a change in us I think. We’ve heard the phrase ‘in Jesus I am a new creation’. If we are a new creation then we are, surely, logically, fundamentally different from our old way of being. Are we? Have we let Jesus change us? Have we left behind old attitudes? Do we focus on those good things, and try to fashion our lives and our actions accordingly?

You know, God invites us to his party, his wedding feast: the kingdom of heaven, beginning now, new life, joyful existence. The invitation is there for every person on this earth, whatever their background or history, their tradition or preference. The invitation is there for you and me. To live with joy - not superficial happiness, but deep joy that comes from a life lived in the light of God’s grace.

Sharon Grenham-Thompson