Pastor's Column

Birds sing the dawn every morning, just outside our windows here in the Manistee National Forest. This usually inspires joy and thankfulness, but one day it was just plain irritating as I really wanted another hour of sleep. I tried not to grumble, but all I could think of was how much I really wanted to be lazy this day. The joyful chorus won out, eventually, and I meditated half-heartedly over morning devotions and dragged myself out for my fitness walk.

Paul’s words came to me, mocking my grumbling: “‘Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.’” Philippians 4:1 (NRSV) Paul never mentions birdsong, and he certainly had many life experiences that could have caused grumbling, but he chooses in all things to rejoice. Rejoicing is a choice and an attitude, and as I walked, I repeated this verse and began to rejoice in just being alive, no matter how sleepy.

We can always find something in which to rejoice if we try. The beauty and bounty of Nature, loved ones sleeping peacefully next to us, good friends, a sense of God’s presence, simple food and safe housing are rich blessings. But there is much evil active in our world; news blogs, TV and newspaper reports hammer awareness of tragedy and chaos into our daily lives. Injustice, violence and greed make “good news,” while the small life-giving acts of unsung heroes usually go unnoticed. It’s hard to rejoice unless we maintain the balance.

We have the choice to daily focus on God’s goodness, the goodness of others in our lives, and our own potential to do good to others, rather than to be bogged down in fear, anger and grief over what we cannot change. We can open ourselves to the empowering Holy Spirit, to the good God who inspires acts of justice and mercy, and follow Jesus’ perfect pattern. We can focus on wholeness/holiness and use kindness to overcome rudeness, enact helpfulness rather than selfishness, and through the power of the Lord to make our world a better place, to bring joy to those whose lives touch ours. “‘I can do all things through him who strengthens me.’” (Phil. 4:13a)

We can choose to “sing the dawn,” not only with the early birds, but in prayer, music and praise, putting thankfulness for our blessings before petitions for real woes. We can choose to develop and enjoy our God-given talents and time, to make our days brighter, to take time to help each other, to take a tiny step toward building God’s kingdom here and now. We can rejoice and through God’s strength, change our world today, waiting the coming again of our Lord and Savior.

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