Verse by Verse Devotional on Philippians by Pastor Jack #218

The Lord is Near

4:4-6 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

It is not easy to figure out what Paul means by this statement, "The Lord is near" and whether it is connected with what precedes or with what follows.

There are two possibilities as to what Paul has in mind here, one connecting it to what comes before and one connecting with what follows:

1- Rejoice in the Lord and be known by gentleness because the Lord’s coming is near.

2- The Lord is always near you, so be anxious for nothing and pray...

Another possibility is that Paul has both of these in mind, and uses this little statement to function as the end of one thought and the beginning of another. I think it best to assume that this is the case, and even if it is not, the truth of each is well established elsewhere. Let’s think about each of the two truths:

1- Rejoice in the Lord and be known by gentleness because the Lord’s coming is near.

It is certainly true that only in light of the final day can we find an adequate basis for love and joy in this life. This life in and of itself is empty and vain. It is only when viewed as a part of a bigger picture, a larger story, that this life can be viewed with real joy. There are certainly those who try to find joy in this world apart from the purposes of God. But it is an exercise in futility. Everything here passes away, and ends in death:

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun? ...I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. (Eccl.1:2-3, 14)

It is only when we remember that our works have an eternal effect that they prove worthwhile. The hope we have that Christ is coming to reward the faithful and to set right all the wrong is the thing that enables us to have joy and to show love while we wait.

2- The Lord is always near you, so be anxious for nothing and pray...

It is also undeniably true that the basis for putting aside anxiety and living a life of prayer is that God is close to us, ready to hear our cries and to grant us His peace.

Since God is invisible, it is easy to forget that His presence with us is real, more real in fact than the things we can see. But His promise is: "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." By this Jesus meant that He is with us through His Spirit, Who was given to us to represent the presence of Christ to us until the end of this age. He is our Counselor, our Helper, and our Companion.

We must believe that God is near to those who fear Him. It is nice to feel His presence, but we must believe it even when we don’t feel it. The first thing we should do everyday is fall on our knees and remember that God is our God, that He is with us, that He will never forsake us, that the blood of His blessed Son covers our sin, that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. As Jack Miller said, we should get up each morning and preach the gospel to ourselves.

The fact that the Lord is with us opens the door to the lifestyle of prayerful rest in God. Once we really know God is with us we can begin to walk with Him, not only by walking in the path He has set for us, but by living in constant personal communication with our divine Friend.

O Lord, thank You that You are near me, even though Your thoughts are high above my thoughts and Your ways far beyond my ways. May I live in the constant confidence that Your Spirit dwells with me and in me. May prayer be my daily breath, by which my life is refreshed and replenished in You. May I know the peace and prayerfulness that comes from trusting in Your nearness, and may I know the joy and love that comes from remembering You are coming soon.