Last Sunday my sister-in-love, Fiona sent a text to my daughter Marjorie and me. It started with Psalm 94:19 – Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer. (TLB) Marjorie responded with something so profound and deep and this is my Advent devotional. She said “Re” is my favorite prefix…it means again. Renewed hope and cheer means hope and cheer take place and root AGAIN, as if for the first time.”
Boy did that get me and I can’t stop thinking about ‘re’ words. But especially about Rejoice. The root word means “to be cheerful, to delight in God’s grace”. (There are 180 verses in the bible that contain the word rejoice!) Zech 2:10 “Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Zion, because I am about to come and dwell among you, says the LORD.” And the angel Gabriel confirmed that with his announcement to Mary that she would conceive and give birth to Jesus. After some questions, (well, wouldn’t you?) Mary responded with the beautiful words known as The Magnificat ~ “My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” Rejoice implies to be happy “again” or be in “joy” again…as if for the first time.

Can you remember the first time you rejoiced in Jesus? I do. We rejoice in our Savior – and each should be as when we first came to experience our Jesus!

At Christmastime we rejoice that the Savior is born and we celebrate Him. But let’s not forget the best is left for the end in Revelation 19:7 “Let us rejoice and celebrate, and give him the glory, for the wedding day of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”
Am I making myself ready? I sure want to! Just as I’m making ready for Christmas, I’ve determined to add another focus…to make myself ready for the wedding to come.
Let’s rejoice together!