Sunday, December 13, 2009

Rejoice!

Artist: Francisco de Goya
Image from Wikimedia Commons

I have always truly loved this morning's Epistle reading (Philippians 4:4-7). And so I was delighted to find the following:

As Karl Barth put it, the joy that Paul describes is a defiant "nevertheless," which draws strength from the gospel story and from laying one's deepest concerns before God "with thanksgiving." This joy seems to take root even in darkness. It is encouraged by the spread of the gospel, the growth of a young church, but most of all by the deep joy of God's presence and the hope this gives for whatever the future may hold.

-- William Dyrness

You can read the rest of the essay right here.

I do like that word, "nevertheless". It could well be a mantra for us whenever we are in times of great difficulty.

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