ss 01v04 We Will Be Glad and Rejoice In Thee

"WE WILL BE GLAD AND REJOICE IN THEE"

Song of Sol. 1:4

Another year is dawning. We who are the children of the living God will not open the gates of the new year in sorrow and mourning. We will sing unto our God. With joy in our hearts and gladness in our souls, we will make known his lovingkindness, his faithfulness, and his grace. Let others lament their troubles. "We will be glad and rejoice in thee!" The eternal God is our Father. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. The blessed Son is our Savior. Why should we not rejoice? We will rejoice. We are determined. Our God must have the crown of our hearts' praise. We will not dishonor our Savior by mourning in his presence. We will be glad, because of all that he has done. And we will rejoice, because he is who he is.

WE WILL REJOICE BECAUSE OUR GOD IS GOD. "Our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased" (Ps. 115:3). God our Father rules this world. He is the inexpressibly majestic Sovereign of the universe. He rules absolutely, and he rules absolutely well. All that he does, or allows to be done, is positively good for his people. He does all things for the salvation, the spiritual good, and the eternal felicity of his own elect. And he does all things for his own eternal praise and glory. We want no more than this. "We will be glad and rejoice in thee'"

WE WILL BE GLAD BECAUSE OF ALL THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US IN CHRIST. "Count your many blessings; name them one by one; and it will surprise you what the Lord has done!'' He CHOSE us as the peculiar objects of his grace in eternal, electing love. He REDEEMED us by the blood of his own dear Son. He has FORGIVEN us of all our sin and JUSTIFIED us by his grace. He PRESERVED us even in our rebellion unto the day of his grace. He REGENERATED us, CALLED us, and GAVE US FAITH in Christ. God has SAVED us by his matchless grace. Oh, yes, "We will be glad and rejoice in thee!"