Jump Start # 3711
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
These triplets of verses are listed without explanation, instructions or reasons. By this time, the Thessalonian brethren, though young in faith, ought to know. The profession of our faith is not a Sunday morning thing. It’s an everyday, all the time, lifestyle. It is who we are. It’s in our DNA. It’s our new culture and climate.
Those that don’t get it, simply don’t show it, nor experience it. They might sit in a pew on Sunday morning, but the rest of the week, they are acting like every dog in town. It’s a dog eat dog world we are told, and they are right in the midst of the dog fight. Not the disciple of Jesus. Rejoicing, praying and thanking, that’s his mode of operation.
Have you noticed the continuation words attached to these concepts. It’s not just rejoice, but rejoice always. Always never ends. Always is in the morning when you get up. Always is what you do throughout the day. Always is when you tuck yourself into bed at night, tired and weary, yet still rejoicing. It’s an on going rejoice. Always Rejoicing.
And, the prayers are just like that. The apostle said more than just pray. Pray without ceasing. The rejoicing is always and now the praying is ceaseless. Multiple prayers shot Heavenward every day. Too many to count. Too many to remember. Praying about this person. Thanking the Lord for this blessing. Seeking mercy from above. The prayers never stop.
And, the thankfulness is for everything. The good things. The nice things. The obvious things. The unseen things. Rejoicing that never stops. Praying that never stops. And, now thanking the Lord for everything.
Here are some thoughts:
First, if we really dug into these three simple statements, our outlook, words and hope would be so different. Some pray only when they have to. And, even then, it’s hard and difficult. They are simply not used to doing that much. Going to many homes as I do as a visiting preacher, you recognize which families are accustomed to waiting to thank the Lord in prayer before they eat. Sometimes one will start to eat and then that person has to be reminded, “We haven’t said the prayer yet.”
Always rejoicing—even in the rain. Always praying—even when nothing bad is happening. Always being thankful—even when you have already said “Thank You.”
Second, starting and stopping is hard in life. Momentum is like that. It’s often hard to get things rolling, but once they are rolling, it’s hard to stop them. The Ethiopian on his way back home, having already worshipped, was riding in his chariot reading Isaiah. Church was over, we’d say, and he’s still reading the Bible. Why? He didn’t have to. He had a faith that wouldn’t stop.
Don’t flip your faith off, like a light switch, when you leave the church building on a Sunday. Keep that faith going. Talk about the wonderful things you saw in worship over the noon meal. Take out your sermon notes and run your eyes over them again. Be thankful for who you saw. Pray for those who are struggling.
Third, from these words of Paul, you’d expect to find those Thessalonians doing those things on a Monday as much as on a Sunday. Rejoicing. Praying. Thanking. Doing it so often and all the time, it just becomes natural to them.
And, there is something about those three words: rejoicing, praying and thanking. All three words have a way of connecting us closer to the Lord. There are some who seem to know the Lord so well. The reason is always they are rejoicing. They never stop praying. They are thankful for everything. Spiritual. Close. Hopeful.
It’s hard to find these three qualities, of rejoicing, praying and thanking residing in a sour heart. One that is bent on complaining won’t be rejoicing, praying and thanking very much. And, that just might be the very thing that we need to look in the mirror about. Everyone around us is mad, complaining and grumpy. Are you like that? Or, have you chosen to be rejoicing, praying and thanking? And, it’s not just once in a while, but it’s always, never ceasing, and for everything.
How are you doing with these things? Give it a try. You’ll be better if you do.
Roger