Tuesday, September 12, 2023  

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Today’s Scripture Reading 
Philippians 3:17–4:7

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NRSV)

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Reflection
The peace of God will guard your hearts and minds. This is such a comforting truth. The peace that is available to us is greater than we can even understand. Our minds are focused on our experience moment by moment in this physical world. And that’s fine, as far as it can take us. We need to “be here now,” as the saying goes, in order to fully show up for others and to fully live our lives.

Yet there is something larger than us that we are part of. Our lives are lived in this world, in our humble bodies (this is another translation of “the body of our humiliation”). But we are citizens of, we belong to, a larger realm where we will one day have bodies like the body of Christ, glorious bodies. Our bodies will “be conformed” — will take on the form like the resurrected body of Jesus Christ.

That can feel very far away, in space and time. But this scripture reminds us that the “Lord is near.” There is a peace that surpasses our understanding, and we can tap into that through prayer. We can give our anxieties to God, and remembering those things for which we are thankful, we can also let God know what we want and need.

This type of prayer — with thanksgiving, asking earnestly and humbly for God’s presence and comfort and healing and strength — this prayer can help us tap into the kind of peace that will guard our hearts. We might imagine a fence of light surrounding and protecting our hearts, a stream of love’s light pouring into our humble bodies.

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Prayer
God of peace, guard my heart, and center me in your love. Transform me into your perfect light, preparing me to one day live in a glorious body of light. Amen.

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Written by Nanette Sawyer, Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Small Group Ministry

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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