Why Should You Rejoice in the Lord?
Why should you rejoice in the Lord? It’s true that He has given much to us, and every good gift, every perfect gift, is from His hand. But our grounds for rejoicing are about more than what He has given us or His general goodness: we should rejoice because He has claimed us as His own and is transforming our souls. We are His bride, and He is preparing us for Himself that we may be a pure bride without spot or wrinkle. That’s good for us–and good for Him!
This means our reason to rejoice in the Lord is twofold: we have joy over being His bride and joy over His relentless transforming work as He creates us anew. He doesn’t leave us as He found us–helpless, corrupted, and soiled–but instead restores and transforms us into who we are meant to be, showing forth His glory. These amazing truths should engender relentless faithfulness to our Bridegroom and set us on fire to rejoice and pray relentlessly for His hand to work in our lives and in this world.
Rejoice in Being Christ's Bride
You can rejoice in the Lord because He claimed you for His own when you received Jesus as Savior. Even before Christ’s return and the establishment of HIs eternal kingdom, Isaiah reveals God is looking forward to the restoration of His people. God says He is going to work in the nation of Israel in such a way that all of these nations that had oppressed them, that had conquered them, that had defeated them, that had said their God has forsaken them, they are now going to see them as the people of God, as the people that God had blessed in amazing ways.
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10
This parallels how Christ will receive His bride, the church, and how He wants to work in our lives right now. When we get to see Jesus someday, it should be a kind of great rejoicing as He has been preparing us for Him. In fact, we call it the blessed hope. We're looking forward to the day when our Bridegroom returns, and we as the bride of Christ will be joined together with Him to live forever.
But for us as the church, as the bride of Christ, it should be obvious, even in our day, that we belong to God, that we are in fact the people of God. Have we allowed the Spirit of God to perform His transforming work, or have we resisted Him? Is it obvious to those around us that we are the people of God? Are we living our lives now like a bride who is adorning herself with jewels that please our Bridegroom? In other words, are we preparing for His return, rejoicing in being His chosen bride?
Rejoice in God's Relentless Transforming Work
God says He is going to accomplish His plan for the ages, which includes His plans for our individual lives. One day we will be robed in righteousness, completely transformed. If you’re a growing Christian, that process has already begun. We see God’s relentless desire to renew His people in Isaiah 62:1:
For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
In other words, He says, I am going to do a work in you until your righteousness shines like a burning torch, a beacon, a city set on a hill that cannot be hid, and my salvation, my transforming work as a lamp that burneth. God loves to show off His work through us. It's great to hear testimonies of what God has done in other people's lives, how He has saved them, forgiven them, shown them mercy, and provided for them each step of the way.
So what is God saying in these latter chapters of Isaiah? He wants all the kingdoms of the world to see the transforming work He has done for Israel. By the way, that's what God wants the world to see in us. He has begun a good work in you and will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
If you are a child of God, God is at work in your life to transform you so that you will be known as a person who has been saved by the power of God and is living a righteous life wholly in honor to his name. He is at work in you–and His transforming work, His word, His spirit–they're relentless. God's going to rejoice in us as his bride that He presents to Himself spotless without fault and without blemish. The question is: are you allowing Him to work? Are you seeking and submissive? Rejoice in His relentless pursuit of you.
Rejoice That You Are Worthy in Christ
There are times in our Christian journey when we may ask ourselves this question, “God, me? Really? Me? You're going to rejoice over me? I know me. And you know me better than I know me, so how can you rejoice in who I am?” He can rejoice because His transforming work is relentless, persevering. He sees what He can restore you to be.
This is why we must be thankful for the Holy Spirit who reproves, rebukes, convicts, comforts, speaks into our hearts and lives. He is there all the time, and He has given us brothers and sisters in Christ. He has given us His word. He has given us His church. We do not live this Christian life alone. He is there for our protection, our provision, and our care. He is there for our transformation. Rejoice in the Lord!
If we’re honest, we recognize that there is a gap between where we find ourselves today and this transformation to a vessel that glorifies God. This is because the promise isn't fulfilled yet, but we know God is relentlessly working to continue our transformation to the image of Christ.
And what does God ask of us? Relentless prayer.
And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Psalm 61:7
In other words, pray all the time until you are known as the people of God, and the glory described in this passage is a reality. The Christian experience that He calls us to centers on holiness, as we are the redeemed of the Lord, sought out, and not forsaken. We should have the faith to go out and declare who God is, this is what He has done for me, and how He has changed my life–because I've been sought out. I've been redeemed. I've been forgiven. I've been called. I'm not forsaken. His mercies are new every morning. His power is great. His love is infinite. Do you have the joy of the Lord? Are you excited about who God is and what He has done in your life?
God, there is a big gap. There is a big gap between us and the perfection You have in mind.
So, pray. Pray relentlessly for God to work in you until that gap is closed. In Christ, you are worthy of His relentless labor of love.
Rejoice to Give Him Joy
The question isn’t only if you have the joy of the Lord. It’s equally as important to ask if you are a joy to the Lord. Do you live your life in such a way that you commune with Him, enjoy Him, pray to Him, spend time with Him, read His word, memorize His word, pour out your heart to Him, and confess sin. Are you living as His bride now, imperfections and all, as you await a complete transformation? This is what brings joy to the Lord! This is the kind of relationship Jesus wants to enjoy with us. What's our response? Pray and walk in faith and obedience relentlessly.
Let's have the joy of the Lord. Let's give joy to the Lord.
Do you want to see God’s power, His love, His transforming work? Do you want to be that beautiful bride that God’s Word describes? If so–pray relentlessly.
Want to know more about how to have a relationship with God? Watch this video.
