Feel Like Exulting?

Exult- now there's a word we don't see very often. One of those words you have a general idea of the meaning but not an exact meaning. Exult came up as my wife started a new blog which you can see at www.werejoice.blogspot.com. She's the better writer in the family so I recommend you take a look sometime.

Anyway, we were looking for a blog title when I asked her about her favorite Bible verses, Romans 5:3-5. The verses start with 'We Rejoice' which we concluded was a good title- at least to get things started. I really like the title because it speaks to a general attitude we try to have at our house.

Curious about 'we rejoice' I looked up the Greek translation because I'm kinda weird that way and found that the word translated 'rejoice' is 'Kauxwmai' - which doesn't mean much off the top to all us non-Greek scholars, but the commentary noted that it really means much more than 'rejoice', it means more like 'exult'. I didn't know 'exult' was bigger than 'rejoice' but you live and learn.

Turns out dictionary.com says 'exult' means 'to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy; rejoice exceedingly; be highly elated or jubilant'. The word history is from the Latin in the 1500's from 'ex' meaning 'out or up' and 'ultare' meaning 'leap'. What you get is a 'jump up' or 'jump for joy' meaning. We don't really jump for joy much anymore, but the Bible says we should.

And here is the strange part- do you know when we are to be more than rejoicers, when we are to be jumping for joy? In our trials and tribulations! Why? God tells us through Paul that 'tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.'

So the end gift of a trial is hope- a sure confidence in salvation. OK then, I get it, a sure confidence of God's greatest gift to us is indeed reason for celebration so let's exult, let's jump for joy! We need to learn from Luke and Logan my jumping grand-boys how to lead exulting lives.


We've had our share of trials at our house recently. We've been persevering. We're clinging to this promise for character and hope. I need to get a bit better at the jumping for joy part. I can do it, I know I can- who says 'white men can't jump' when God calls us to do just that?

I leave you with the Gospel according to the rock music group Van Halen - maybe they were considering Romans 5:3 when they wrote 'Jump'!

I get up, and nothing gets me down.
I like to jump. and then go round and round
And I know, just how it feels.
You've got to roll with the punches to get to what's real

Might as well jump. Jump !
Might as well jump.
Go ahead, jump. Jump !
Go ahead, jump.


Blest Regards to you my Jumping Friends,
kp