Gloriously Superlative, Because of Him

Rejoice always; 

pray without ceasing; 

in everything give thanks;

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB

My teenage son is sitting across the table from me as I type, listening to a podcast for the “Theater, Cinema, and Film Production” class that he’s taking to satisfy part of the requirements of the Fine Arts credit he has to have to graduate from high school. He groans audibly from time-to-time, because online school was not his choice at all, but he didn’t really have much of a choice, because our life has been in a state of uncertainty and nebulous transition for the past several months. Theater isn’t a new thing for him, since he played parts in his boarding school musicals and plays back in West Africa and even played the lead part for the end of school play last year. I, too, wish he didn’t have to do his studies this way, because I know what a social guy he is. It wasn’t my first choice, either. As his mom, I try to keep my groans inaudible, and only say encouraging things to him to prod him to persevere and do his best.

Our family has gone through more than our share of trials, loss, and stress for my son’s entire lifetime, and even before he existed, since we first set foot on the continent of Africa nearly 7 years prior to his birth. In many ways, the trials we’ve faced have formed his, his siblings, and our character… but I give thanks, because God’s abundant grace has helped to form our character in positive ways, instead of us becoming bitter, depressed, or even hateful. We have all learned perseverance, patience, trust, and forgiveness BECAUSE of what God has taught us through the trials.

I’ve been reading in 1 Thessalonians this week and in chapter 5, where Paul gives some clear, simple commands in light of the knowledge that they were in the end times. Of course, twenty centuries later, we know that we are much closer to those end times than the first century Thessalonian church was. They suffered many trials and severe persecution because of the rarity of their faith in great contrast to the population among whom they lived. It was then, and is even now, a rare thing, maybe even impossible thing, to give thanks for loss of job, loss of home, imprisonment, or physical pain… to rejoice when loved ones betray you or when those who should care for you abandon you. But Paul commands them to:

Rejoice ALWAYS

And give thanks in EVERYTHING

But, the real meat in that command-sandwich, if you will, is to

Pray WITHOUT CEASING.

Without that continual conversation with the Lord, all we would ever hear would be our own thoughts and the noise coming from the world that would keep us from the thanking and rejoicing.

Having raised teenagers, and heard their superlative outbursts:

“He ALWAYS messes up my stuff… “

“She NEVER helps me….”

“He is CONSTANTLY getting in the middle of things,” etc.

My husband and I have tried to teach our kids NOT to use superlatives when talking about their siblings, but to look at them holistically, realizing that they’re really not ALL that bad! 😉

I’ve heard people talking about this passage on rejoicing always and giving thanks for everything and said that it’s important to count our blessings, as if the bad things, we really might not be able to be thankful for or rejoice in, but it’s the other things that are good that are more the blessings that make the bad not so bad. (sorry, that’s a long sentence!) But, I’m coming to learn that Paul did mean to say that we even rejoice in and should be thankful for the bad things.

I am so very grateful to God for His many abundant blessings and all-sufficient grace as we have walked a road of suffering. But, I, with a peace that passes all understanding, can also thank Him and rejoice in the causes of the suffering, as well. They have made me the child of God that I am today.

The pastor of the 1^st century Jerusalem church, our brother James, who was eventually, as I understand it, beheaded for his faith, wrote his own letter to the early church that we can benefit from even today, praise God. He said,

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 

And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:2-4 NASB

It is my deepest desire to “be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing,” as I strive to become more like Jesus. I love Him so much more than I did when I first said “yes” to His call. And, because of that love, my answer to His call will always be “YES,” as I thank Him and rejoice that He even, by His glorious grace, sees fit to call me at all. So, instead of whining to God with my negative superlatives, as an indignant child, I can thank Him and rejoice for what He has permitted in His omniscient authority, to happen in our lives. No matter what, Lord, may you receive all the glory and praise, as we get closer to THAT day, when we finally get to be with you for eternity. AMEN