Memory – Philippians 4.4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Keep in mind that Paul is writing from Rome where he was confined for approximately two years under house arrest. Prior to his arrival in Rome he spent a little over two years in prison under the rule of Governor Felix in Caesarea (in total Paul spent about five years in prison). At the time of writing this letter it is unlikely that Paul had any realistic expectation when his case would be brought to trial. Yet, he encourages the believers in Philippi to rejoice in the Lord. Lest they misunderstand him he repeats himself again I will say, rejoice. He goes on to say let your gentleness [reasonableness] be known to everyone. Such behavior is counter-cultural and counter-intuitive. The attitude is rooted in Christ who is at work within their hearts. Compare this with Jesus’ statement in the sermon on the mount, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5.5). This meekness is not a passivity but a gentleness of spirit; fundamentally it is a meekness toward God; a disposition of spirit wherein the Christian accepts God’s providential work without disputing or resisting.
In the Old Testament, the meek are those who rely on God rather than their own strength. For example, David’s response to Shimei cursing him as he flees Jerusalem after his son, Absalom’s rebellion. And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today” (2 Samuel 16.11-12). Read also the extraordinary account of Jonathan and his armor bearer fighting with just one sword between them an entire garrison of fully armed Philistines: Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few” (1 Samuel 14.6).
So, whatever your situation, do not be anxious about anything. Trust the Lord and commit your way to Him; in prayer and a with thankful heart let your requests be known to God. He will give you a calm assurance that all will be well in the end. Again, it is a counter-intuitive truth of Scripture. It is as Paul says a peace that surpasses all understanding. The source of this peace is Christ and maintaining your focus on him. I love the passage in 2 Corinthians 4.16-18, So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day, for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Here are a few takeaways from this text (also, a couple thoughts from next week’s meditation).
In the Old Testament, the meek are those who rely on God rather than their own strength. For example, David’s response to Shimei cursing him as he flees Jerusalem after his son, Absalom’s rebellion. And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today” (2 Samuel 16.11-12). Read also the extraordinary account of Jonathan and his armor bearer fighting with just one sword between them an entire garrison of fully armed Philistines: Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few” (1 Samuel 14.6).
So, whatever your situation, do not be anxious about anything. Trust the Lord and commit your way to Him; in prayer and a with thankful heart let your requests be known to God. He will give you a calm assurance that all will be well in the end. Again, it is a counter-intuitive truth of Scripture. It is as Paul says a peace that surpasses all understanding. The source of this peace is Christ and maintaining your focus on him. I love the passage in 2 Corinthians 4.16-18, So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day, for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Here are a few takeaways from this text (also, a couple thoughts from next week’s meditation).
- Resolve to rejoice in the Lord – your ultimate grounding in joy is relational not situational.
- Resolve to be known for gentleness.
- Resolve not to be anxious about anything but to have quiet time alone with God.
- Resolve to think holy thoughts – too many people focus on destructive thoughts without reflecting on how those thoughts damage the soul. In “The Life of God in the Soul of Man” Henry Scougal writes, “The worth and excellency of the soul is measured by the object of its love.”
- Resolve to learn the secret of contentment. True contentment is experientially learned being exposed to both ease and adversity. Take care not to confuse contentment with self-sufficiency.
- Resolve to grow in the grace of Christian gratitude and courtesy.
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