The Lord is Near!
The past few weeks have been difficult. It began when I stood up
after eating and immediately doubled over in pain. Then, while driving from
church, my daughter hit a deer. My older son learned the store where he works is
closing. And my younger son had his wallet stolen and along with all his money,
licenses, etc., etc. We weren't very happy about all this.
But Beverly and I chose to be close to God, so we prayed. He responded by easing
my pain and showing me how to handle the newly discovered arthritis in my hip.
My daughter was perfectly safe and her car, which miraculously had minor damage,
was soon repaired. My older son has a new job starting in a few weeks. And a
stranger found and helped return my other son's wallet. Then a new chapter
began.
A friend of the family, already with a terrible disease, suddenly became ill and
had to be rushed to the hospital. Within 24 hours he had a massive heart attack.
Within 48, he was gone. Then a longtime friend of mine, also with a terrible
disease, became ill and had to be admitted to a hospital. Three feet of his
small intestine were removed. Then the big shock came. They discovered stage 2
cancer.
Sometimes we receive a thorn in the flesh. At others, we get the entire bush. In
this respect, we are just like everyone else on the planet. We all have our
problems, difficulties, tragedies, dead ends, and broken dreams. But what
separates us from the rest of the world is how we respond to such times in our
lives. As I thought about this the other day, God reminded me of a special bit
of Scripture.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it 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. Philippians 4:4-7
I once thought this was only for when we're happy and all is right with the
world. The idea that these words could actually be meant for the hardest of
times would have been ridiculous to me. Yet that is exactly what they're meant
for. It all comes down to understanding what is being said.
Rejoice, chairoo, means not just to express great joy, but also to thrive, grow
and develop. The word epieikes, translated gentleness, reaches further,
expressing control over all our emotions so that we are gentle, kind, patient,
merciful, bearing others' burdens, and ready to forgive. And being anxious or
merimnao is not merely being concerned, but filled with paralyzing caution and
fear.
Thanksgiving, eucharistia, is gratitude freely given with no strings attached.
To present your requests, gnorizo, means to declare and make them known. Peace
is the word eirene...a quietness and time of rest, but also freedom from the
rage and havoc of war. And then there's guard, phroureo...to be a watcher, a
sentinel to hem in and protect. So when we understand the fullness of this
passage, we have:
Thrive and grow in the Lord. Let it e clear to everyone that you are gentle,
kind, patient, merciful, bearing others burdens, and ready to forgive. Do not be
paralyzed in times of concern or fear but, with gratitude, make your prayers
known to God. Then He will give your spirit rest, a quietness you will not be
able to understand. You will be free of the destruction from the spiritual war
around you, for this divine peace will watch over you, surround you, and protect
you.
There is one thing left we cannot miss. Ho Kurios eggus. The Lord is near. He is
near in both time and place. For those who refuse to rejoice in the Lord, this
is a warning. Draw close to the Lord and let everyone know. For those who choose
to thrive and grow in the Lord, it is a comfort. The Lord is near. He is here in
times of trouble. He will give us peace and rest. He will protect us.
Though this Scripture promises peace, these words are meant for war, the
spiritual war that rages all around us. They are a King's orders to His people
for how the war is to be waged. They are His assurance of victory that will
bring them peace. And they are His plans for how they will find success in this
war, in grateful prayer. I pray we will be found ready, for...the Lord is near.
Special Request...As you fight the good fight this week, remember Nadeem and
Sherri Kaiser, a Christian couple trying to adopt a child in Bangladesh. They
have been detained there for more than 9 weeks due to various problems, the
latest concerning their fingerprints and the inability of those in their home
country (USA) to process a new set. I encourage you to read about their
incredible journey at
www.bangladeshlove.blogspot.com. Pray and make known your request to
God. Rejoice in Him and let the world see that He is the one true King. And take
a moment to encourage Nadeem and Sherri. Take care and be God's,
Chuck Graham