June 25
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! - Philippians 4:4, NIV
The apostle Paul knew the secret of victory when he and Silas were thrown into the inner cell of a prison, their feet fastened in stocks, because they had preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God” (Acts 16:24-25, NIV). As a result of their praise, an earthquake collapsed the prison, the jailor was converted, and they were set free! Paul maintained that spirit of praise until the end of his life when he once again found himself in chains in a Roman prison, yet emphatically declared, “I will continue to rejoice” (Phil 1:18, NIV).
I doubt if, during either of those imprisonments, Paul felt like praising. But he had learned to walk by faith, not by his feelings. And today he commands you and me to exercise our will, making the deliberate, conscious choice to “rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
