Rejoice in the Lord always!!!

I remembered clearly what I told my friends in September 2006 when we were onboard the Doulos.

"My favourite verse? Hmmm. I don't have any. But I would say that the verse which I will use to describe my situation now is Philippians 4:4" What is Phil 4:4? It says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

There was such a freedom even in those times of uncertainty. There was joy. Joy from the Lord and of the Lord residing in my heart. As I look back, I realised that freedom came about because of His given joy. That joy diminished all uncertainties. His joy was so much greater than all my worries and trouble. It did wonders to my soul. I was happy - even when I had "nothing". No career-path written out, no big sums of money, no next-step to take, no one to guide me in my particular work, no place to truly call my home. But I was happy. I was full of His joy. I exhort my friends - "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

Oh, but how I sank into my lows some time later in the years ahead. But thanks be to God who have never left me nor forsaken me. His joy is but a breath away. If we would go near to Him, He will come near to us; for He has always been beside us. Everything we ever need has been promised and guaranteed in His Word - and joy is one of them. You can have it!

Oh Lord! Let me bask in your presence and be filled with your joy always. Then everything else will surely fade into the background and your joy will surely cure every disease, heal every hurt, restore every brokenness, strengthen every weakness, refresh every tiredness and lift every gloom. May the joy of the Lord be with you!

George Mueller: "It has pleased the Lord to teach me a truth, the benefit of which I have not lost, for more than fourteen years. The point is this: I saw more clearly than ever that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not how much I might serve the Lord, or how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished.

For though I might seek to witness to the lost, or to benefit other believers, or to relieve the distressed, or in other ways seek to behave myself as it becomes a child of God in this world; nevertheless, if I myself am not happy in the Lord, and have not been nourished and strengthened in my inner man day by day, all of these other things might not be done in the right spirit."