Lord Jesus, when in doubt, or in a mess, or in knots, or even when everything seems really good, we cannot over-fill our hearts with you. Praying the Scriptures is one of the best ways to see and savor your awesomeness. As I begin my day in Northern Ireland and prepare to preach… here we go.
Philippians. 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” – Lord Jesus, though brokenness abounds (in us and around us), we have an overabundance of reasons to rejoice in you. For starters, you are our perfect righteousness and constant Advocate, our sovereign King and loving Spouse. Hallelujah, and Whew!
5 “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”- Because you are near in proximity and return, gentle us, Jesus. We don’t have to be snarky, in control, or defensive. We can risk being gentle and kind.
6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – With palms up, Jesus, we give you the people who make us anxious, the storylines we’d love to finish, the heartaches we’d love to heal, and the circumstances we’d love to alter. Help us not grab them back.
7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – We’re grateful to have the whole Trinity as the grace-garrison for our hearts and minds. Peace in the storms, calm in the chaos, amity in our hearts… what more do we need?
8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” – Jesus, you are the truest and noblest, most right, pure, lovely and praiseworthy reality that exists. Capture our thoughts, enrapture our hearts. So VERY Amen.
