Let's Celebrate
"Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!" (Psalm 95:1)
We love to celebrate. Birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, graduations, promotions, a clean bill of health. Some of us get all excited when our favorite team wins. We celebrate the blessings of good news, accomplishments, milestones, and victories, big and small.
None compare to the blessings we have in Christ.
Yet sometimes we are blinded by circumstances, feelings, and burdens that seem endless. David understood this well as he cried out to the Lord four times “How long?” in Psalm 13. Starting from a place of pain, we see in this chapter a beautiful progression as an example to us all: David’s dark discouragement (“sorrow in my heart all the day,” v. 2) turned to a prayerful dependence (“consider and answer me, O Lord my God,” v. 3) and a confident declaration (“I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice…he has dealt bountifully with me,” v. 5-6).
His circumstances and pressure were different from ours, but David’s path to hope and help was the same. He trusted and rejoiced in God’s amazing love and provision. You and I can do the same. Rather than focus on the confusion and chaos of this world and the problems we must endure—we can celebrate the blessings of knowing Jesus. Have you counted them recently, as the old hymn says?
In a newer song, “Knowing You, Jesus,” Graham Hendrick beautifully relates to us the Apostle Paul’s thoughts from Philippians 3.
All I once held dear, built my life upon
All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love You, Lord
Now my heart's desire is to know You more
To be found in You and known as Yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn
The all-surpassing gift of righteousness
Oh, to know the power of Your risen life
And to know You in Your sufferings
To become like You in Your death, my Lord
So with You to live and never die
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love You, Lord
Let’s celebrate the blessings, the promises, the confidence we have in Jesus Christ, whatever lies ahead. Let’s proclaim His goodness to all who will hear!
“Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him! Let all the upright in heart exult!” (Psalm 64:10)
Rejoicing with you,
Pastor Jim