Saturday
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
(Philippians 4:4-9, NIV)
When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians living in the city of Philippi, a prosperous Roman urban center in Macedonia (Turkey), his principal purpose is to express his appreciation for their support of his ministry. Despite the fact that he is writing to them from prison, the Apostle joyfully describes how his “chains” encouraged other brothers to spread the gospel more fearlessly (1:14). With an enthusiasm that is hard for us to understand in light of his circumstances, Paul states his clear conviction that Christ would be exalted in his body “whether by life or by death” (v. 20).
As always in Paul’s writings, the Letter to the Philippians concludes with practical instructions about living the Christian life. The theme of joy in the Lord, which is mentioned sixteen times in this letter, is dominant. “Rejoice in the Lord always” meant that there was never any reason to be anxious. If we trust in God, we can have confidence that the Lord has our best interests in mind. The spirit of thankfulness and trust in God brings peace, a peace “which transcends human understanding” (1:7, J. B. Phillips).
Paul’s exhortation in today’s verses is grounded in Jesus’ message found in the “Sermon on the Mount”: “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:25-27, NIV). The fact that God’s promised peace is beyond human comprehension was also described by Jesus shortly before his death when he told his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives” (John 14:27). Paul, a faithful witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ, is testifying to his dear friends at Philippi that the “God of peace” (v. 9) will be with them.
Prayer
God our Father, we rejoice in your love for us and your presence in our lives. We desire to put our confidence and trust in you, but we are weak and afraid. Help us, by your Holy Spirit, not to be anxious. We are thankful for the promise of peace we can never fully comprehend, which allows us to live at peace with ourselves and to have our hearts and minds guarded by you. Amen.