Daily Devotion • September 10
Today's Scripture
Philippians 3:17–4:7
Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 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. (NRSVUE)
Reflection
Imitating Paul, who was imitating Christ Jesus, and having no anxiety about anything ... now?! That came to my mind as I typed these verses.
Yes, now. Changes are coming to Fourth Church this month. I cannot worry about them now. I haven’t agreed with some earlier changes, but I have coped. I have stayed. I’ll do that again and see what happens. Meanwhile, changes in my own life are no easier to stop worrying about. Then, before I finished writing this, children at prayer were killed in Minnesota. Changes have come to this country, and more changes are needed.
But look at the verses before the famous call to rejoice. There’s conflict. There’s trouble Paul hopes to help solve. There are enemies. There are those who glory in their shame ... and that’s a term from the letter from their pastor, who’s in jail.
Rejoice, he told them — and us. My joy that the Lord is here should stop my worry, and I should be busy giving thanks for what I can accomplish — and for the beautiful things that remain and need defending. But all of these verses remind me not just that I need not worry, but that I should not. I should stop worrying and do. There's so much to be done.
What I can do first is share my love of words, and these devotions help me share here with you. If we have words, we have tools to work with.
Sometimes translations help with unusual words like “forebearance.” The verse “Let all men know your forbearance” in one of my older Bibles becomes “Let your gentleness be known to everyone” in the translation that our Interim Pastor, the Reverend Tom Are Jr., used in his book Joy Even on Your Worst Days: Wisdom from Philippians. Learning about joy from Tom makes me grateful for his teaching — and for my memory.
When I saw these verses as my assignment, I thought of the class Tom led on his book. I remembered sharing its lessons and gently sharing my margin notes in my Bible with Tom and his wife, Carol. Little letters I'd written to myself became letters to them, too.
So let us rejoice. We are not alone.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for being with us through the bad times as well as the good ones. Help us to remember the joy of not having to face bad times alone because you are with us, through your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
Written by Margaret Laing, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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