Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Psalm 32:11 NIV
Shout
The Cultural Atlas website gives a list of things not to do while visiting Canada. It includes “Do not boast or make ostentatious comments that give the impression you see yourself as superior to others. Canadians generally find this contrived and obnoxious. Avoid public displays of anger or other emotions that could cause a social distraction. Canadians generally avoid raising their voices or crying in public. Avoid becoming overly combative or argumentative about contentious topics. If you wish to discuss controversial topics, approach the conversation with calmness and openness.
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If you’ve ever been to a major sports event, you will know how people express joy. I’ll never forget being at a men’s retreat one winter when Canada’s men’s hockey won gold at the Olympics. We had all awakened early to watch the game and when the game ended with a victory to our hockey-crazy country, the cheer was deafening – just from a group of about 60 Christian men. If we can get that excited about winning hockey gold, shouldn’t our joy in Jesus be expressed with just as much enthusiasm. No wonder King David says this in Psalm 32:11: “Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!” If you’ve been redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ, you have experienced the greatest blessing ever. The word “blessing” means “filled with joy,” and we ought to express that joy often to the God who has provided our redemption. You have an opportunity today to express the joy that Jesus has brought to your life. Rejoice in Him, sing about Him, shout a hallelujah. No matter what is happening in your life today.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley