Your Father is Near
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 4:5-6 “Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Going Deeper:
My three-month-old daughter Ellie is sleeping on me as I write. She’s amazing. She’s captured our affections quickly. Her smile melts us. Her rolls are legendary; they can turn a diaper change into a search and rescue operation. Her coos, cries, various grunts, and even her annoyed “Nyaa!” shouts are all sweet to me. I love this girl.
Now, she can’t do much of anything on her own at this point. She’s entirely dependent on us for her needs - fresh diapers, milk, and attention. She seems to have keyed into this and she behaves as though the most important question in her life is, “Where are my parents?” Or, more accurately, "Where is Mom?” She cries out and when she locates Mom, she’s golden. Ellie is at peace when Mom is near.
Today, many of us feel shaken, confused, sad, unsafe, angry. I’ve felt all these over the past few weeks and it seems like new emotions are rising to the surface almost daily. It’s not hard to see why. The world has been rocked by a public health crisis, economic collapse, and widespread social isolation, all at once and seemingly without warning. People are suffering. Systems are failing. Rifts are growing.
Many of us feel disoriented and long to be safe, cared for, and at peace. We’re not unlike my daughter in that sense; it’s a different situation, but the same cry. I have learned something reflecting on my relationship with my little girl. I’m a flawed dad and I sometimes find selfishness and laziness irresistible. Yet, when my daughter cries, I go to her with joy. How much more will our Father in heaven hear us when we cry out? He gave Jesus for us, won’t He also give us His attention when we cry out to Him?
The wonderful letter to the Philippians shows us that God is with and for His people even in hard times. He’s instilling a new identity in us that supersedes any claim that blood, soil, property, or ancestry would have over us. We are sons and daughters bought with the precious blood of Jesus. He is coming back soon and He will set everything right. He will conquer not only this disease but the injustice, inequality, division, and the brokenness it’s revealing. This world will be beautiful again because He will make it so. Knowing that changes everything!
Now, we get to preview the beautiful new creation through how we live with grace and love for others, especially when things get hard. We can live in a way that points the world to Him. However, we won’t reflect His love and grace if we don’t believe He’s with us, near, available, listening, loving us, present and working in the midst of the mess. If we forget He’s near, we’ll simply parrot the world’s cares and concerns rather than enjoy the peaceful presence of Jesus amidst the chaos and make much of Him.
So, where is the Lord in this situation, from your perspective? In love, I want to ask that you not gloss over this question or give the “right” answer like a Bible pop quiz. Where is He really, in your lived experience today? Does He feel near, distant, or absent? Why?
Here’s the truth: the Lord is near! I pray this frees you to cry out to Him for everything, whether big or small. If it matters to you, it matters to Him. Whatever you ask, He’s promised to give you Himself. Will you take Him up on that promise? I pray you do and find peace and the freedom to enjoy and obey Jesus today!
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?