Three Exhortations: Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks! - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2025

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

Three Exhortations: Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks!
In the Bible, we often find combinations of three. The above verse is a beautiful example of this phenomenon. Whatever we do or say should be in tune with God’s will and our relationship with Him. The expression “in Christ Jesus” is true of all believers since Pentecost and until the rapture. That relationship implies immense privileges as God has transferred us from Adam to Christ—from lost human beings to a new relationship “in Christ Jesus.” God sees us now in His Anointed One, who is the Son of God’s love. When God looks at us, He sees Christ because we are “accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6). Let us rejoice and give Him thanks!

To continue rejoicing, we need ongoing prayer. This we learn from our Lord Jesus Christ, who was marked by constant prayer, as recorded especially in Luke’s Gospel. In a world of sorrow and distress, we rejoice when looking up to Jesus, whom we see “crowned with glory and honor” (Heb. 2:9). We may also learn from Him, the Man of prayer, to always rely on God, motivated to do God’s will. Even though we live in a world of rebellion, we may rely on our God who is faithful and answers our prayers. This is an additional reason to give thanks, which unbelievers do not do (Rom. 1:21).

After the worldwide Flood, Noah built an altar to honor God who had saved him and his house—eight people in total. He brought them to a new and purified world. Upon leaving the ark, Noah led his family in thanksgiving (Gen. 8:20–21). Do we thank our God and Father daily? Do we have a “family altar” to thank and praise Him? Let us bring our needs to Him in prayer, giving Him thanks, and bless our God and Father.

Alfred E. Bouter