Message summary: “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!” That is a proclamation every single one of us can make this day and every day!

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“Do everything without complaining” (Philippians 2:14). “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

Pastor Jack Hinton from New Bern, N.C. was leading music for a worship service held in a leper colony on the island of Tobago. There was time for one more selection. He asked for a request, and a woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around.

"I saw the most hideous face I had ever seen,’ Jack says. ’The woman’s nose and ears were entirely gone. Most of her lips had rotted away. She lifted a fingerless hand in the air and asked, ’Can we sing, 'Count Your Many Blessings?’"

Overcome with emotion, Jack left the service. He was followed by a team member who said, ’Jack, I guess you’ll never be able to sing that song again.’ ’Yes, I will,’ Jack replied, ’but I’ll never sing it the same way again.’ *¹

Let me ask you a candid question. Have you complained about anything thus far today? I’m not only speaking of verbal murmurings expressed to others, but also complaining to yourself. (Many of you are glad you don’t have to answer that question, at least where others will see!) Life is jam packed with opportunities to complain if we so choose. I suspect this is true wherever we live; regardless of what situations we are going through or conditions we are living under.

Jim Gambini, a pastor friend, made an interesting observation when he pointed out, “Essentially, complaining is accusing God of not doing it right.” Think about that statement in light of God’s providential dealings in your life. Isn’t the traffic jam ultimately under God’s control? What about that annoying associate? If God is really in control (and I sure believe He is) complaining is essentially accusing God of not doing it right.

I encourage you to read this Scripture carefully. “The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks” (Acts 16:22-24).

Try to imagine, even empathize with what Paul and Silas were experiencing; physically, emotionally and even spiritually. Their exterior circumstances in this single experience is a more traumatic trial than I have ever experienced in over 70 years of life. Look at the key words describing their situation’ attacked, stripped, beaten, severely flogged, thrown in prison, guarded carefully, inner cell, feet fastened in stocks. This happened in Philippi.

If anyone ever had uncomfortable and unwarranted conditions to complain about they sure did! Did they appeal to the human rights commission? Did they threaten a personal injury law suit if medical staff refused to doctor their potentially infectious wounds? Of course we know they didn’t and likely would not if these options had been available in their time period. In fact the very next verse tells us what they did. Do you know what that is before I tell you? *² See below for answer.

Paul later wrote a letter to the church in Philippi and gives two simple straightforward commands: “Do everything without complaining” (Philippians 2:14) and “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) He sure had the credibility to make these statements!

“This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!” That is a proclamation every single one of us can make this day and every day!

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber