September 27, 2022

Philippians 4:5-7 (HCSB)
5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Marliss O'Neal
Verse 5 starts out with 4 great words – “The Lord is near.” We can rest in these words that His presence is there to sustain and empower us. Paul’s encouragement here is to always live in the presence of God, to always seek Him in prayer and lay all our worries and requests at His feet. The peace and presence of the Lord will sustain us and guard our hearts through our struggles.   We probably all can remember a time when we were very anxious or worried about something. We prayed, had others pray alongside us, and God was faithful. Let’s never forget that the Lord is near and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Rest in His presence!