Rejoice Always!

My wife was invited to give a scriptural reflection at a prayer service last evening and offered these inspiring words which I'd like to share with you.

Rejoice always, never cease praying, render constant thanks; such is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thes 5: 16)

This is a stressful time of year for most of us. With all the running around, shopping, decorating, cooking and visiting, it is hard to slow down and reflect. It is hard to silence the to-do list that is constantly running in our minds.

These lines from the letter of Paul to the Thessalonians give me an alternative to-do list to break me out of the narrow world of my concerns and worries.

First thing on the list: to rejoice always. God has made me his daughter through baptism. He never ceases to call me to a fuller, more abundant life through faith. Every day, he surprises me with reminders of his presence in my life. How else could I respond than to give him praise?

Second thing on the list: to never cease praying. Prayer is a relationship with God. It requires attentive listening and mindfulness to God's presence for that relationship to flourish. When I least expect it, God can come knocking on my door. I want to be ready to open and let him in.

Third thing on the list: to render constant thanks. When I am focused on what I am doing, all I can see is what's not going right. By giving thanks, I start to focus on what God is doing. It can be as simple as being thankful for a warm shower in the morning or as profound as the love of my family. Giving thanks in all situations focuses me back on what is of utmost importance - the presence and action of the Father in my life.

It's no accident that I am here today. It is no accident that we are all here today. God wants to alert us to the presence of his Son among us. He wants us to put away our to-do list for these few hours and replace it with his "to-be" list. To be silent. To be attentive. To be aware. To be grateful. To be fully alive.