When reading Philippians 4:4-5, I hear the words of a popular Christmas tune that says, “Rejoice! Rejoice! Emanuel.” The words are not a request or a suggestion; they are a command. Paul, the author of the book of Philippians, repeats it twice in the same verse! Thankfully, he gives us the key to knowing how to rejoice in verse 5, “The Lord is near.”
Because we can have assurance that God is with us, we can have joy in Christ. Quite frankly, sometimes I do not feel like rejoicing. But these verses remind me that no matter how sad we are, we can rest and rejoice because the Lord is near.