Exodus 18:9-10 And Jethro reloiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egtptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
Moses had told his father-in-law, Jethro, all that God had done. Jethro responded to this great good news by rejoicing for all the goodness which the Lord had done. He rejoiced by blessing the Lord. To bless the Lord is to say good things about Him and to give Him thanks.
We, likewise, hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ telling us what great good things God has done for us in Christ. Like Jethro, we respond with rejoicing and blessing. For the Gospel is ”good news of great joy,” as the angel told the shepherds. Joy follows hearing and believing. For this reason, Christians leave the Sunday church service with joy in their hearts, because they have heard the Good News. We feel better and lighter. We respond with joy.
How do we rejoice? We express the joy, and increase the joy, when we thank God. How do we bless? We bless God, self, and others when we thank God. When we hear the Gospel, confess the truth of God’s love, and repeat it over and again all day long we feel better. It affects our emotions. Thanking God all day long in response to His telling and reminding makes a full day of rejoicing and blessing. This lifestyle is reinforced by attending weekly worship and spending daily quiet time with God. Are church-goers better people? Maybe not always. Are they happier? Generally, yes. Why? Because they heard what God has done for them, how He delivered them.