Our Father and our God, thank You for allowing us to come before You this morning. You have given us the privilege of being in Your presence, in Your house, not because of any merit we may have. 

You have allowed us this privilege simply because it is Your good pleasure to do so. Apart from Christ we only deserve condemnation. You are holy and we are not.  

Thank you for sending Your perfect, sinless, righteous Son to pay for our sin that we would now have the underserved honor of being in communion with You. 

This communion, this relationship with You also brings joy to our hearts, knowing that You have declared those who follow You as righteous, as perfectly covered by the righteousness of Jesus.  

Your word says in Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Help us to obey this command, like Paul did even while he was in prison.  

Please forgive us for so often dwelling on our circumstances, which in so many cases pale in comparison to the trials Paul suffered… yet he rejoiced in You. 

Lord, You have given us reason beyond measure to “Rejoice in You always”.  The most important is because our eternity with You is secure. 

May we have a life and an attitude that “Rejoices in You always”… 

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen