Philippians 4:4-7
Wow, Paul packs a lot into these few wonderful verses. what encouragement he gives, which can comfort during difficult times. He calls us to rejoice in the Lord always, and then repeats it. The joy we can know in the Lord is not a happy feel-good kind of joy, but an ultimate peace in knowing that we can turn over our problems to God and rest in his sovereignty. Next Paul encourages us to let our gentleness be evident to all. I wonder, do others see me as a gentle person? When I'm crabby or having a "discussion" with my 14-year-old daughter, am I exuding gentleness?

"The Lord is near." I think Paul is referring to the return of Jesus, but perhaps he is also saying that Christ is as close as our own selves, if we have him living in our hearts. All we have to do is turn to him in prayer to receive guidance or consoling. Also, the end of our troubles may be just around the corner--if death doesn't take us first, the Lord's return may be sooner than we expect and we need to be ready and excited for this great event.

"Do not be anxious in anything." This is difficult for me. I am naturally a worry wart. I just returned from an overnight trip with my daughter to Duluth, MN, about 3 hours north of our home in Minneapolis. The van had been making some noises, so I worried about the it breaking down. The a/c wasn't working well, so I worried about being miserable on the way up north in 90 degree plus heat, and worried about my dog and daughter too. I worried about how I would get along with my daughter in the car for such a long period of time.

But as I put these things in God's hands, his peace settled over me. If the car breaks down, this will be an opportunity to meet new people and see how God can work this situation out for his good. If I am too warm, I can thank God for an air conditioned home and for the coolness of Lake Superior. If my daughter was crabby, I could use this as an exercise in patience (one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23).

By the way, the van didn't break down or even give us a single problem. It was a rather warm drive, but not unbearable, and the ride home was very pleasant. My daughter was a pleasant companion and we even enjoyed each other's company. She read a chapter from a book I bought her, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul.

God is good. I hope I can remember to always turn to him and rejoice in all circumstances.

- posted by Suzi @ 6:36 PM