CHRIST AT THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES OVERCOMES ANGUISH WITH JOY AND PEACE
Thank the Lord for good and gracious folks whose paths have crossed yours and mine – in my case, during sixty-five years of ministry and marriage!
For you, as it was for me and mine, there must have been that one place dear to your hearts --- a special place that meant more to you than words can tell.
That place for my family was the little town of Vinton in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where, into the lives of a young couple just getting started in ministry, marriage and parenting, there came wonderful new friends who soon became our new family!
Joy and peace were experienced there as we ministered to saints and sinners alike in that pleasant community - just a short drive to one of the most serene places on earth – the Peaks of Otter – high up on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Through the years, after being called to serve in places elsewhere, we kept in touch . . . were included in special events and family celebrations . . . shared joys and sorrows.
As we all reflect on close ties we’ve experienced in life, we can better understand, and relate to, that unique bond between the Apostle Paul and the fellowship of believers at Philippi! Philippians 1:3-11 . . .
No wonder Paul once referred to those folks as “my joy and my crown”!
Toward the end of his letter to the Church at Philippi, Paul volunteered words of wise counsel to two of his former partners in ministry there; apparently he felt the need to lecture them about getting their act together. All we know about the two women he mentioned (4:2-3) is their names – Euodia and Syntyche. The summary of their life’s story was: they quarreled . . . Suppose all that was ever said about your life was that you and a sister (brother) in Christ quarreled?
Obviously, Paul felt “put out” with these two Christians because of their unwillingness to resolve differences amicably, but he decided to “brush aside” their quarreling and focus instead on the positive aspect of how Christians ought to live: in joy – a frame of mind and state of being which would preclude wasting time on quarreling.
“So, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, considering all that God has done, is doing, and will do (your past, present, and future of living in joy), here’s what I say to you: Rejoice in the Lord at all times. Let me say it again:
Rejoice! Let your moderation (gentleness) be known to everyone. After all, the Lord is near”: Philippians 4:4-5 . . .
Folks, how near to you is the Lord? Isn’t He as near to you spiritually as is your physical heart that beats within you?
Think about it: You have “the joy” - the love of Jesus, the peace that surpasses understanding at the very core of your spiritual being. His Presence is promised to all who invite Christ into their hearts, and let Him be in control . . . influences us . . . encourages us . . . motivates us to be gentle in spirit in interactions with everyone.
Christian joy is independent of all material and temporal things in your life because real joy has its source in the constant Presence of Christ . . . “There is never a day so dreary, there is never a night so long, but the soul that is trusting Jesus will somewhere find a song. Wonderful, wonderful Jesus, in the heart He implants a song: a song of deliverance, of courage, of strength, in the heart He implants a song.”
A born-again Christian (Christian in nature, not in name only) never loses real joy because such a Christian never loses sight of Christ as author and finisher of our faith. One’s focus may get a little blurry every now and then due to distractions that cloud thinking, but the constant Presence of Christ is always there to prompt us to regain our focus.
Even though sitting in prison, distracted by all the negatives swirling about him, constantly chained to a Roman guard, the joy never left Paul because of the constant presence of Christ. He focused on Jesus despite his difficulties!
In good times and bad, the nearness of the Lord, plus a close relationship to Him, brightens the path and lightens the load. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me.”
It’s those darn “shadows” that cause folks to worry a lot. Much of what we worry about never materializes the way we “knew” it would. Mark Twain again: “I’m an old man, and I have known many problems in my life, most of which never happened
If you tend to worry excessively, Paul has a word for you: STOP worrying so much, pray about everything, replace worry with joy and peace: Philippians 4:6-7 . . .
To live a life of joy is to live a life of prayer! Makes sense, doesn’t it? If you love someone dearly, you communicate with the person you love. If you love the Lord, prayer is your means of communicating your thoughts, requests, desires, needs, and your thanks. Keep that line of communication open!
Paul tells us to pray about everything because prayer is our opportunity to overcome anxiety . . . to get rid of tension . . . to cope with the fear of disease and death . . . to experience lasting peace - the absence of conflict, the presence of serenity.
“God grant me the serenity to accept the fact that there are things I cannot change, courage to help change the things I can, wisdom to know the difference.” (adaptation of R. Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer)
To ask God for peace is one thing, to help bring it about is quite another. As with any worthwhile endeavor in which we are given the opportunity to become a better and stronger person, we can count on God to do His part - but there is always that caveat: we must do our part.
And so it is: To maintain peace that surpasses understanding, our part is to cultivate right thinking for right doing: Philippians 4:8-9 . . .
Paul almost sounds political as he advocates “peace through strength”, except he’s not proposing the strength of military might as an antidote to conflict. Rather, the old apostle promises peace through strength of character – and where does character originate? In one’s mind.
An old proverb says: “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” Another proverb: “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
We might say therefore that the spiritual battle for peace occurs in one’s mind. When we think right thoughts, we do right things; and, when we do right things, we find ourselves at peace with God . . . others . . . ourselves. Did you ever hear it said, “You are your own worst enemy”? So, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny (legacy).
An individual whose character reflects the person of Jesus Christ is destined to live in joy and peace.
Jesus lived a life that was true to his calling and convictions . . . honorable and worthy of respect, even the respect of those who did not like him . . . just in dealing with others . . . pure within, yes, but was manifested in daily conduct . . . lovely, therefore winsome . . . morally virtuous, therefore commendable to those who wished to be like Him . . . praiseworthy, not shameful.
Neither should we ever be ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe! As we continue life’s journey, let us live day by day in such a way that our lives will reflect the person of Jesus Christ so that our destiny will be peace with God – now and forevermore! Amen.
