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Rejoice

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Feb 21, 1865

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 25, No. 13.

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Rejoice

By J. CLARKE.

In the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Phil. iv, 4.
Some very-much-esteemed people, seem to think it innocent to live in almost continual sorrow. They allow trifles to mar their peace of mind, and, as a consequence they are often very unhappy, and this unhappiness they communicate to others, by contagion; such people should not consider themselves exemplary in this, but directly the reverse. Such people go exactly against the command of Paul, who says, “Rejoice”!
People often think they could rejoice when the gales are favorable to waft their vessel into port. They can rejoice when their garners are full, and when business is prosperous or when they feel the blessing of God. But Paul says, Rejoice “ALWAYS.”
Habakkuk could rejoice even in time of famine, when men and beasts were perishing. He did not wait for plenty to fill the land, but in time of pinching want he rejoiced.
The Christian finds much cause for rejoicing, first in the character of God; for it is a joyful thing to think of, that God is good, infinitely good and wise, and powerful, and that his unlimited power is always exerted in the cause of justice; and that God is opposed to evil, and has planned deeply to root out evil from the universe in just such a period of time, as will best suit the purposes of a full development of the nature of evil.
Also the Christian rejoices in the plan of redemption, which has been in progress for so long a time, by which a countless multitude of Adam’s race are to be resurrected to a new and noble and endless life. That the resurrection is near at hand, is also a theme of delight.
There are countless reasons for rejoicing which such a person meditates upon from time to time, as they occur to his mind, suggested by the word and providence of God; and besides all this, the Christian rejoices in tribulations also; for they wean him from earth, and point out to him that rest which remains for the patient and humble and refined soul, that soul which has ceased to assume to itself the prerogative to dictate, to its Creator, and with sincerity adopts the language of Christ, “Thy will be done.” Such a soul can obey, the command of Paul, “Rejoice evermore.” 1 Thess. v, 16.
J. CLARKE.