The Lord is at Hand

Pause:

Before you start reading this devotional, take a moment to stop what you’re doing, slow down and focus on Jesus. 

Pray and ask him to open your eyes to see as you read the scriptures, and to open your ears to hear as you wait on the leading of the Spirit.

Read:

Philippians 4v4-7 (ESV): “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonablenessbe known to everyone.The Lord is at hand;⁶ do not be anxious about anything,but in everything by prayer and supplicationwith thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.⁷ Andthe peace of God,which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Going Deeper:

I feel reluctant to use this passage for today’s devotional, because it is probably a common passage to go to during this time, and because we already covered this in our devotionals a month and a half ago.

But, that was a month and a half ago, and this has probably been the passage I have most meditated on over the last few months. And I’m hopeful it will be used encourage you today too.

After calling us to rejoice in the Lord – even during trials – and encouraging us around reasonableness, Paul writes and says: “The Lord is at hand” or, “The Lord is near” (CSB / NIV). 

I love this. 

A reminder that God has not left us, but is right here with us. Immanuel! God with us, during our time of need.

Now, to some of us, God might feel distant, your prayers might be going unanswered, and you might be wrestling with doubts about your faith at this time. Paul writes to you and reminds you, in the midst of your struggle, “The Lord is at hand.” God is right there with you.

This is a big part of the reason that we can rejoice even during trials, and the big reason why we don’t need to be anxious.

We are not alone. And not only that, but the one who is with us is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The all knowing, all powerful, omni-present God, who loves us and as Tim Keller says, “…will either answer your prayer by giving you what you ask for, or what you would have asked for if you knew everything he knows.”

This should give us incredible comfort and every reason to pray and ‘let our requests be made known to God.’ 

In fact, if we are not praying at this time, and not bringing our needs, fears, anxieties, uncertainties, and problems to Him, it shows us that there is either something wrong with how we see ourselves, or how we see God.

He wants us to come to Him, and He wants us to pray “in everything”.

And the promise of this passage is this: if we pray and bring our requests to Him, then “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Now, there is a lot going on at the moment that could fill our hearts and minds with anxiety and worry. So what Paul is talking about here is not natural, it is supernatural. It is a peace from God, not a peace that we work up inside of ourselves, or by controlling our circumstances.

So as we go into this week, and as we face obstacles and challenges, would we stop now and ask God for this peace, and receive it, and live in it even in the midst of our trials because, we are not alone, and the Lord is at hand.

Pray:

Respond to God in prayer by speaking to Him about what stood out to you from this passage this morning.

Listen:

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you this morning?

Apply:

What are you going to do in response to what God is saying to you from the text and by the Spirit?