Space to Rejoice

Jock Stein September 25, 2026 0 0

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Listen to this daily worship

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24 (NIVUK)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Who wouldn’t rejoice at a company of Christians who obeyed these words to the full? But the Christian Gospel is good news of what God has done, is doing and will do. It is not a law which commands us to be the perfect church and then condemns us when we’re not. So, we take these words as a promise of what God will help us to start doing, and so we practise them, one step at a time, and a community that makes our Lord happy begins to take shape around us, like the tiny seed growing up, becoming a bush and then eventually a tree where birds sing and beasts shelter.

Yes, even in a group which doesn’t get everything right – after all, when Paul tells us to test the words of those who speak, he is recognizing that mistakes will happen – even there (which means even here where we are) we know that God is faithful, and will help us make progress. And that is something to rejoice at.

PRAY:

God, bless and prosper the work of those who speak and write words which concern your people, your kingdom, your purposes. Bless those who translate scriptures and teach literacy. Bless those who use media in creative ways to spread your word. And help us to celebrate them all, to rejoice in every good word understood and put into practice, to give thanks in all circumstances. Amen.