On last night, we had our first mid-week service at church and it was great! See, I had my doubts because we’re a small church and folk don’t like to go anywhere in the rain. And if I shall be honest, I really didn’t want to make the drive but that was just me being selfish with my jacked up attitude getting in the way because I wasn’t looking at the big picture. See, this service wasn’t about me but it was about the vision that was given to my uncle and his obedience to follow through. So, this got me to thinking about a devotion I did on last year entitled, “From Jacked Up to Jubilation, Luke 17:14-19,” so I had to revisit it, for myself. See, jubilation is defined as uninhibited, that’s unrestrained, rejoicing in the celebration of a victory or success. This simply means when I think about all the things that I could have been a victim of and then I realize they didn’t succeed, I should rejoice. When I think about all the things that tried to hinder my success and I realize they didn’t stop me, I should be rejoicing. When I think about all the times folk said I wouldn’t amount to nothing and instead of falling, God gave me strength to walk, I realize I should be rejoicing. Now, this isn’t any type of rejoicing but it’s that crazy praise type rejoicing. The kind of rejoicing that has your clothes twisted, your hair a little messy and a little sweat on your forehead. Yea, the kind of crazy praise that allows you to shout off the stress of last year and dance in the blessings of the New Year. The kind of jubilated praise that’ll have you ready to shout on Monday in your car, Tuesday in the middle of your living room, Wednesday at Prayer Meeting, Thursday at choir rehearsal, Friday while you’re sitting at work, Saturday at the Beauty/Barber shop and all over again at Worship on Sunday. When I think about the cancer that could be attacking my body, the accident that I avoided that should have claimed my life, how I could have been addicted to crack, pain pills or alcohol or how I could have been walking the street; I rejoice. When I think about all the things I could be going through right now, I rejoice. When I want to give up and God says, “Don’t stop now you’re too close;” I rejoice. When my enemies surround me, God says, “Don’t worry about them, I’ll make them your footstool,” I rejoice. When folks talk about me, God says, “Oh, their opinions don’t matter, only mine does,” I rejoice. When I look around at my life and realize that I’m beyond blessed, God says, “This is only the beginning!” Yes sah! See, it’s these things that cause me to celebrate and because I have the victory, I offer God my jubilated praise! I don’t have to wait until Sunday morning to show my appreciation when God shows up on a Friday night to give me rest, when he shows up on Monday with a financial blessing that allows me to make it to payday and when he shows up on Saturday with a calming peace that surpasses all my understanding.
Do you offer God a jubilated praise every time you think about all the chemo and surgeries you made it through after your healing, when you get in your new car and think about all the times you had to walk or beg folks for rides, when you come home to a loving spouse instead of the one who used to treat you like dirt, when you leave the house a little late and pass the car wreck that should have been you, when your name wasn’t called to receive a pink slip when your other co-workers weren’t so lucky, when you walk past the alleys and see the folks strung out on drugs, when you visit the hospital and it could have been you or your child or when you drive under an overpass and see the folks sleeping outside and you know that God is surely keeping you? Do you offer him a jubilated praise? God doesn’t need folk playing with him but he wants folks praying to him. He doesn’t need praise when the sun is shining but He wants to see you dancing in the rain when the storm is raging. He doesn’t need you screaming His name when you’ve been pushed down in the pits and valleys but He wants to hear His name in rejoicing when you’ve made it to the top of the mountain. While you are trying to see whose watching you, the devil is so you need to show him that you’re worthy of all the blessings God sends whether they are big or small. I’d rather be dancing to the beat of rejoicing instead of jumping around the hot coals on the floor of hell!
Lakisha, the Author 