Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year and also one of my most aimless weeks of the year. Christmas Eve services are complete, and we left it all on the field. We prepared for these services for months, and we poured out our all and now we rest. But I’m also feeling the letdown of, “Oh, it’s over.” Now I’m waiting for New Years — which always brings its own excitement and anticipation of what the new year will bring.

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But there’s a tension in the waiting isn’t there? Waiting for what’s next. Waiting for the good to happen. Waiting for the other shoe to drop, perhaps, for some. Waiting for the test results. Waiting for the “If only…” I love how Paul addresses that tension…

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In our scripture today, we find Paul, in jail, writing a letter to the “Saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi” (Phil 1:3). Verse 4 continues, “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,” (NIV, emphasis mine). And verse 6, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (ESV).

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One online commentary said, “Apprehensive that his execution was close at hand, yet hoping somehow to visit the Philippians again, Paul explains that he was imprisoned for preaching the gospel of Christ. Though he welcomes death for Jesus’ sake, he is equally concerned to continue his apostolate.” Paul was waiting — for freedom or death, he didn’t know. I bet he felt some tension.

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But what Paul did know was that he had a purpose: “What has happened to me has served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.  And now most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” (Vs. 13-14)

WE HAVE THE SAME PURPOSE!

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Say it louder for the people in the back… WE HAVE THE SAME PURPOSE!

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Our purpose is to advance the Gospel. It’s that simple…and that difficult. That’s the tension we live in. We are to advance the Gospel to the ends of the earth while waiting for our eternal hope. And while we wait, we acknowledge that we live in a broken world with death, heartbreak, tragedy, and evil. Paul lived in the same world, and he was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel. And yet, he says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

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What did Paul have to rejoice about while he sat in jail? He told us in his intro paragraph — the Gospel was advancing — despite the opposition to it. Paul was laser focused on his purpose. In John 15:5, 10-11 Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (emphasis mine) Paul remained in Jesus, and his joy was full. Even in the tension of the already but not yet, Paul’s joy was full.

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How can you stay laser-focused on Jesus this week? What might abiding look like for you today, and what tension will you need to embrace to experience the full joy of Jesus?

Take this time now to go to your Father with these questions. Ask him what it looks like to “remain in him.” Ask him to show you the tension and to give you the joy to move through it.