Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.- Philippians 4:4 (ESV, NASB)
Today, we turn to a favorite pastor and teacher, Max Lucado. He says this in a most comforting way. The Apostle Paul knew confinement very well – forced to sit in prison in Rome, he spent the time encouraging others by letter and messenger. He lived what he preached.
“If anyone had a reason to be anxious it was the apostle Paul! Envision an old man as he gazes out the window of a Roman prison. Half-blind, squinting just to read, and awaiting trial before the Roman emperor. His future is as gloomy as his jail cell. Yet to read his words, you would think he’d just arrived at a Jamaican beach hotel. His letter to the Philippians bears not a word of fear or complaint. Not one! Instead, he lifts his thanks to God and calls on his readers to do the same. Paul’s challenge is a decision deeply rooted in the confidence that God exists, that he is in control, and that he is good. Rejoice in the Lord—always! You can’t run the world but you can entrust it to God!”
* From Max Lucado’s Anxious for Nothing study guide and DVD
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