Verse of the Day - 1/18

Through the Bible - Genesis 45-46, Matthew 14:1-21

Good morning,

When our kids were little, when they were scared at night by a thunderstorm or some noise outside they would often crawl or sneak into our bed with us.  There were times when they were getting a little older and we were trying to break them of this that we would wake up in the morning and find one, two or all three of them curled up in the comforter at the foot of the bed.  They would have preferred to be in bed with us, but just being near us calmed their fears, real or imaginary.

 

A while back I quoted Philippians 4:6-7 focusing on "the peace that passes understanding" which is available to those who call on God in prayer in all circumstances.  It is a verse that my son Jeff has quoted back to Jean and I when he has seen that we lacked that peace.

 

Today's verses are the preceding verses that lay the ground work for this "peace that passes all understanding", rejoicing in the Lord, always, knowing that He is near.

 

Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.   NIV

The key to receiving the peace of God is that He is near to us.  Ed Welch writes that this "nearness changes everything.  The emphasis is not on how we pray.  It is on the God who has come close, who hears, and who is with us.  The only thing that can separate us from His love and presence are our sins, and they have been washed away in Jesus blood."

 

A parents presence can calm the fears of a child who has been frightened by something.  Fear, whether in a child or an adult, doesn't want a 4 or 5 step plan or other impersonal advice; it wants a person.  When you were little and in the dark didn't your parents hand relieve your fears, enable you to walk where you wouldn't have walked on your own? 

 

Even now, as an adult if you can be comforted by a another who may not be as brave and strong as you are, how much more can we be comforted by the presence of the creator of the universe, who is holding us in the palm of His hand?

 

Take a minute and read the passage from The Message paraphrase, may it encourage you to celebrate God, revel in Him, knowing that He's at your side.  Are you facing fears today?  Call on Him, He is near.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

Phil 4:4-8

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.    (from THE MESSAGE)