Stand Firm in the Lord!
When I saw the scripture Carl was preaching from Sunday, I was thrilled. Philippians 4:1-9 contains some of my favorite passages. For instance, verses 4-6 say:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I LOVE that! It was great to hear Becky say that she had been reciting that passage as she went for her MRI results. She shared that no matter what results came back, she was okay with it. She had the peace of God. As you know she has fought a valiant fight against cancer. She currently has a tumor behind her optic nerve. Her doctor told her that the tumor had not grown and that he would see her in a year! Woo Hoo! Thank you, Jesus!
I also love the next verse. In the dark times we have been experiencing, these words have helped guide my thoughts. 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.” As we think of these things, we ae assured of feeling God’s peace.
BUT, the strange thing about Sunday, was that a totally different verse struck me and has been my “go to” verse this week. It comes out of verse 1 and it says, “Stand firm in the Lord.”
What came to mind when I heard this are the soldiers that stand straight and tall outside of Buckingham Palace. Their gaze does not waiver. Even when everyone around them is trying to get them to stumble, they stand firm. I realize that this is nothing that the Lord can do for me, I have to do this for myself. When I get angry, “Stand firm in the Lord.” When I am sad, “Stand firm in the Lord.” When I am scared, “Stand firm in the Lord.” When I am happy, “Stand firm in the Lord.”
He has assured us that He is there. Right beside us. But WE must stand firm in our faith which will then allow us to experience His peace and joy.
Stand Firm my friends! Stand Firm!