HIS GOSPEL IS PEACE DAY 19

 

December 19, 2024

 

Philippians 4:7

 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

What are you anxious about? Take a moment and give the question some thought. 

Chances are, you woke up to anxieties this morning, or you laid down with them last night. According to recent statistics from StatsCanada in a 12 month period, 6.7% of the population experience anxiety in varying degrees. That is around 2 million of our fellow Canadians.

We can feel anxious for ourselves,  anxious about the well-being of
a loved one, anxious about a relationship, anxious about our job, our church, our country. Whatever it is, Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything.” 

If the Apostle ended things there we would all be in trouble. We have just established the ongoing reality of anxiety that pervades our lives. 

The good news is that Paul doesn’t end on this command. Instead, he gives us one more command, and then finally, a word of proclamation: Do not be anxious, submit everything in prayer; in other words, “Cast your cares on the Lord” (Ps. 55:22). Do these things not for the peace of God, but because of the peace of God.

This peace is Christ himself. This peace transcends all understanding. Think about it this way, If this peace were limited to our understanding, it would be limited to our experience and feelings. However, Christ’s peace will always be more trustworthy than the changing winds of our circumstances. He is a peace that meets us in our need, sustains us in our suffering, and provides answers to our problems. He is the Prince of Peace, born for you and me. This is the good news, "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Yes, we will have anxieties, sometimes intense anxieties, but because of the Peace of Christ, these anxieties will not rule and reign in our lives. The hymn O Holy Night is a favorite at this time of year. The lyrics say, “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn,” highlighting the sense of peace and renewal that comes with the Savior’s birth.

Heavenly Father,
we hand over our anxieties to you, 

NAME Your Anxieties here

knowing that you care about them,
you have suffered for them,
and you have answered them through Christ, your
son, who is our peace.

Amen.