How can I rejoice in the Lord if He is far from me?
“The just man will rejoice in the Lord and put his hope in Him; the hearts of all good men will be filled with joy." We have surely sung these words with our hearts and voices. Indeed, we express our deepest feelings when we address such words to God. We must rejoice, not in material things, but in the Lord.
“Light has dawned for the just," Scripture says elsewhere, “and joy for the upright of heart." Were you wondering what reason we have for joy? “Delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires."
What are we instructed to do, and what can we do? To rejoice in the Lord. But who can rejoice in something he does not see? Am I suggesting that we see the Lord?
No, but we have been promised that we shall see Him. As long as we are in this world, we walk by faith, for we cannot see the Lord. We walk by faith, not by sight. When will it be by sight? “Beloved," says John, “we are now the sons of God; what we shall be has not yet been revealed, but we know that when it is revealed, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is." When this prophecy is fulfilled, then we shall see Him.
That will be the great joy, the supreme joy, joy in all its fullness. Then we shall no longer drink the milk of hope, but we shall feed on the reality itself. Nevertheless, even now, before that vision comes to us, let us rejoice in the Lord, for it is no small reason for rejoicing to have a hope that will be fulfilled someday.
Therefore, since the hope we now have inspires love, the just man rejoices in the Lord, Scripture says, but because he does not yet see, he hopes in Him.
Yet we have with us the first fruits of the Spirit; isn’t this another reason for rejoicing? For we are drawing near to the One we love, and not only are we drawing near, but we also anticipate and even have some slight feeling and taste of the banquet we shall one day eat and drink.
But how can we rejoice in the Lord if He is far from us? Pray that He may not be far. If He is, that is your doing. Love, and He will draw near. Love, and He will dwell within you. The Lord is at hand; have no anxiety.
How can He be with you if you love? Because God is love.
“What do you mean by love?” you will ask me. Love is what enables us to be loving.
What do we love? A Good that words cannot describe, a Good that is forever giving, a Good that is the Creator of all good.
Delight in Him from whom you have received everything that delights you—only one thing you have not received from Him: sin.
From a sermon by Saint Augustine.
Dec 10 Wed