A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: MORE THAN HAPPINESS
Grace and peace to you,
This Sunday, we end our four-week series that journeyed through Paul’s letter to the Christ-followers in Philippi. Though they weren’t facing the stressors we face today, Paul and the Philippians knew all about stress, worry and the struggle to live faithfully as followers of Jesus.
In fact, Paul writes this letter from prison 
where he is uncertain about his fate. Paul writes with compassion for this community of faith, but also his understanding that a life of faith is always Christ-centered, joyfully confident even in the midst of suffering and that living as Jesus followers is a communal effort. Community is an essential part of living a life of Christ-centered faith.
What have we learned so far about pressing on (not burning out or over-extending ourselves with no regard for our own well-being) from this letter?
To end the series we explore Philippians 4:1-9 and I encourage you to go to BibleGateway.com and read it from several versions – the NSRV, the Common English Bible and/or The Message. See how the different versions describe gladness, joy, rejoicing or being on the side of the most vulnerable always. Always – that is what Philippians 4:4 says about rejoicing: Rejoice in the Lord always! Again, I say rejoice! How are we supposed to sustain an attitude of rejoicing always in a world that seems far away from joy.
Perhaps we need to think again about the Biblical definition of joy and rejoicing: The term “rejoice” in the Bible is often used to express a deep, heartfelt joy and gladness. It is more than mere happiness; it is a profound sense of joy that is rooted in spiritual realities and divine truths. The Hebrew word often translated as “rejoice” is “שָׂמַח” (samach), and the Greek equivalent is “χαίρω” (chairo). Both convey a sense of exultation and delight.” (https://biblehub.com/topical/r/rejoice.htm)
So maybe waking up with our mind staying on Jesus roots us deeply to relationship with God and out of that relationship comes that deep, heartfelt joy and gladness and assurance of God’s promises of love, grace, mercy and forgiveness.
A rootedness that convicts us each and every day that we are beloved children of God meant to share those promises and joy always! With everyone we encounter. Maybe the joy people see in us always even when we are at wits end with the state of the world, or the church or relationships, can make a difference to someone. It is up to us to rejoice in the Lord always!
Our breath prayer for this Sunday is: (Breathe in) I rejoice in God, (breathe out) because God’s love will never let me go.
Blessings,
Pastor Karen