7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:7-8
Like kids, I am not sure you are supposed to say you have favorites when it comes to Bible verses. Yet, there has been a trend of “life verse” picking ever since I was a college lad at Lee University. It is carefully selecting a single verse that represents so much of what God is doing and saying in your life.
Now, I am not knocking this practice. Our family picks a verse or two as an anchor point each year. This year’s verse focuses on perseverance.
The downside of this singular verse approach is that you often miss the accompanying scenery. It is like going to the Grand Canyon and focusing on a single boulder. You miss the beauty of the vista and grandness of the canyon. Philippians 4 is the Grand Canyon of scripture. Pick any verse of the first thirteen and there you have your boulder. Just try it. Oh, let me help how about this one: “I can do all these through Christ who gives me strength.” Much like a late night TV informercial salesman I urge you, but wait there is more: “rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.” Did you realize these verses are neighbors. In fact the first quoted verse is number 13. The next is numbered 4. Not books apart, not even chapters apart, mere words apart from one another.
Sandwiched between “rejoice” and “do all things” are two verses that serve as a reminder of what he gives and more importantly who HE is – PEACE.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
It is just as easy to edit our life to see the struggle, the anxiety, the circumstances. It just as easy to focus on the single boulder that seems to stand in our way. It just as easy to make laser in on the struggle. When we expand our vision beyond the narrowness of our own vision and see the scope what we find is God’s peace and the God of peace in the middle of our rejoicing and the power to do all the things he has asked us to do. In center of the snippets is PEACE.
Sure the storms come. He still speaks peace. Sure trials are faced. He still is peace. His peace is our guard and he is our PEACE. Peace is a neighbor to our rejoicing. Peace is a neighbor to his strength in us. Peace, peace is in the center of it all.
I write this as our world is closing itself off as a protection from a virus. Anxious thoughts will arise. Uncertainty will surface. My prayer is that you know peace and know the God of peace. Peace is always in the middle, just look for it.
