Celebrate God, Others, and Yourself

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Psalm 96:11–12

Winter is often a cold and dreary time. It is a time we often don’t associate with celebrations. However, the above verses speak to us about celebrating. These verses contain word such as ‘rejoice,’ ‘glad,’ ‘resound,’ ‘jubilant,’ and ‘joy.’ These truly are words of joy and celebration. In fact, all of creation is called to celebrate, and as a part of God’s marvelous creation, we are also called to celebrate – to celebrate God, others, and self.

1. Celebrate God
Often our relationship with God is overly focused on “doing things for Him” and we miss out on “celebrating Him.” Part of being in relationship with someone involves working together and also celebrating together. God doesn’t want our good works as much as He wants a relationship with each of us. The fact that we can have a relationship with God is reason enough to celebrate. We celebrate because He has looked upon us with mercy even though we don’t deserve it. We celebrate the salvation given to us. We celebrate all that God has accomplished so wonderfully for us!

2. Celebrate Others
We should also celebrate the people in our lives. We often celebrate people on their birthdays and on other special occasions, but what about celebrating others when they don’t expect it? We will never regret complimenting someone. When we look for ways to celebrate others rather than criticizing them, this will definitely edify and bless others as well as change us and our attitudes.

3. Celebrate Yourself
Finally, we should celebrate the great truth that we are all children of God. We should celebrate our experiences and what God has enabled us to accomplish. At the same time, we should celebrate the challenges in life and see them as opportunities for God to demonstrate His grace.

Throughout this month, let’s challenge ourselves to fully celebrate the goodness of God in our lives. Let us discover new ways to encourage and compliment those around us. And let us celebrate our lives as the children of God.

May God be with all of us and bless us as He continues to guide us for His glory!

With love and prayers,
Rev. Christopher Phil Daniel
Vicar, Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church, CT