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Time to Celebrate
June 24, 2024
Hey Clawson Family
Song:
Scripture:
Philippians 4:4 NLT
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!”
Nehemiah 8:10 NLT
“And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
Devotion:
This weekend was a celebration weekend! We celebrated and thanked God for all the amazing things He has been doing. This is important to do in your personal lives too!
You would think that joy and celebration would come naturally! That it wouldn’t really require effort. It should be our default setting. But unfortunately, since sin entered the world, there is nothing automatic about joy.
That's why planning a birthday party, a wedding, or a celebration takes so much effort and preparation. That’s why "party planner" is a real occupation. If there isn't an abundance of cake, balloons, fireworks, and confetti, you can't trust humans to choose joy. It can be so easy for us to allow negativity to be our go-to mindset.
God knows this about us. That's why there are so many commands to celebrate in the Bible. Think of the Old Testament Law: God's people are told they must have a Passover feast, a "Year of Jubilee," and a day of Sabbath rest.
He wants us to choose celebration. He commands us to choose celebration.
I know we all experience heartbreak and sorrow. I don't say this lightly. But "the joy of the Lord is your strength."
Jesus and his gospel are still worth celebrating: choose joy in defiance of your suffering and lift up your trust as a song and an offering.
This is the discipline of joy. This is the art of celebration.
Journal:
In your journal, write down 5 things that you can celebrate that God is doing in your life
Training:
Choose joy! Don’t allow your thoughts and words to be negative. When you are tempted replace them with positive words and thoughts.
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