Devotion • September 30
Today’s Scripture Reading
Philippians 1:1–11
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.
It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. (NRSV)
Reflection
Up-and-coming social media influencer Rajiv Surendra is a jack-of-all-trades, an authentic craftsman who has mastered the art of simple living, bespoke collecting, and celebration of all things handmade. Among his favorite pastimes is writing and receiving handwritten letters — a fading art in our digital days. Not just any type of handwriting, but a thorough and heartfelt rendering on the page is what Surendra urges his followers to practice. It need not be eloquent, but a substantive window into one's life, no matter how mundane, is what he describes as making his heart sing.
Imagine opening a letter addressed to Fourth Church from the Apostle Paul — what might he be moved to write? As I consider our life together, the comings-and-goings of 126 E. Chestnut Street, I'm so often moved by the "love-hustling-and-bustling" that transpires, from the morning greetings exchanged among guests lining up at the front doors awaiting social services, to the shepherding of lines of three-year-olds marching into classrooms, to the one-on-ones of pastors counseling the brokenhearted — so much love exists here that we too often take for granted.
I'm moved by Paul's tenderheartedness to the community at Philippi. His gratitude for their efforts to live into a loving family of faith, so eloquently conveyed, is prayerfully rendered for us to soak in and to be inspired.
Prayer
God of all, we join with Paul and Timothy in praying that our love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to aid our discernment, so that we may find favor in your sight and righteousness as the fruit of our labor in service of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Written by Nancy Benson-Nicol, Associate Pastor for Caring Ministries and Spiritual Formation
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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