Rejoice!

I have noticed in these 7+ years of knowing Christ as my life that He brings certain words to me...and they just stick with me.  I don't know why.  I just can't seem to let them go.

Patricia gave me this book mark for Christmas- knowing I love the word "rejoice."  Here is why:

I love studying words.  I love knowing where they came from, what part of a sentence they are and their definition.

Here's a fun fact- rejoice, joy and grace all share the same root word:
"xar"- extend favor, lean towards, be favorably disposed*.
This means they all three share the same core (fundamental) meaning.

REJOICE is a verb.  That means it expresses an action,  an occurrence or state of being.
Strong's Greek # is 5463 chairo (xairo)
Help's Word Study:
- to delight in God's grace "rejoice"
- to experience God's grace
- to be conscious (glad) for His grace
To rejoice is the expression of joy within us.

Let's look at JOY:
Joy is a noun and as we learned in school a noun is a person, place or thing.
Strong's Greek # is 5479 chara (xara)
- inner calm delight, gladness
Help's Word Study:
-the awareness of God's grace, favor, joy
- grace "recognized"
Joy is the calm inner delight from recognition and awareness of God's grace.
Joy is from the Holy Spirit: Galatians 5:22, 1 Thessalonians 1:6, Romans 14:17
There simply is no joy without God.  It is from Him.  It's Who He is. 

Now, we need to look at the word GRACE:
Strong's Greek # is 5485 charis (xaris)
Help's Word Study:
- God freely giving Himself away to people, always leaning toward them
- God freely extending Himself, reaching (inclining) to people because He is disposed* to bless (be near) them
GOD FREELY GIVING/EXTENDING HIMSELF= GRACE.

So now- let's put this together-
Grace is God freely giving Himself, extending Himself to people because He is inclined to be near them (the Cross, His Blood, Resurrection, Union). (From God)
Joy is the calm inner delight of recognition and awareness that God freely gives Himself, extending Himself to people because He is inclined to be near them. (To our inner man, our spirit).
Joy causes us to- rejoice!
Rejoicing is an outflowing/expression of the calm inner delight of recognition and awareness that God freely gives Himself, extending Himself to people because He is inclined to be near them.  (This is from God to our inner man, our spirit- into our soul- our mind, will and emotions.)

Just take some time to truly, truly think about that.  Now aren't you filled with a calm inner delight being aware of His freely giving Himself to you?  Then rejoice!


(disposed:
to incline toward,
to give tendency,
to put into place i.e to distribute, arrange in an orderly way)