Rejoice!

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord- always. I love the use of the word always. With each and every day that we have and live, we should rejoice in the Lord. Some days I don't do that so much, but I've been trying to do better. Yesterday it rained here. It hasn't really rained in over a month, and while I doubt we even got an inch of rain, what we did have was so wonderful! It down poured for a while and the street was full of water, and I could just see the grass and the plants soaking up every drop they could. It was a reason to rejoice! Yet in the past month, as I've watched the grass brown up and die, and the plants shrivel up and need to be pulled out, it's been harder to find a reason to rejoice.

But then something will come to me. I will see a wasp or two and shoo them out of the house and I will be reminded that if we had a normal rainfall, the wasps would indeed be plentiful instead of just the few there are. The mosquitoes have all but vanished this year with such little rain. And even though the garden is struggling with so little water, it's still such a pleasure to spend time tending the plants and wondering at the marvels that God created.

Every day, every experience is a reason to rejoice! The fact that we get to experience these things at all is a reason to rejoice- life is worth rejoicing. Yet death is worth rejoicing as well, because while it means and end of life here as we know it, it means a beginning of an eternity of service in Heaven!

I have a fish tank- a pretty big one. Our first fish tank experience was a Christmas gift for our daughter. She loves her fish tank, but I'm the one who mostly takes care of it, and it didn't take long before I found myself wanting a bigger tank for myself. I love my fish. I love just sitting and watching the community of fish- seeing them interact and breed and eat and eventually, some of them die. As I've watched these fish, I've often wondered why on earth God would create this type of fish. They're certainly not big enough for eating or anything- what purpose would they serve? Who really knows, but I do know this, as I watch the marvel of life being played out behind those glass walls, I have another reason to rejoice. I really enjoy my fish, but as they die or get hurt or who-knows-what, I simply pull them out and flush them, and don't give them another thought.

WE have so much more and so much better with God. He doesn't just watch us flounder around here on earth. He gives us the tools we need to have a successful journey. He gives us the right companions at the right times, and while occasionally He will through an obstacle in our way, He always ensures that we have the means to overcome the obstacles. I can rejoice in knowing that my God loves me so much, and that right there is reason enough to rejoice.