Joy: one of the most joyful letters Paul wrote was the letter to the Philippians. However, we believe it may have been his last letter, and one that was written near to the time he was put to death by the Roman empire. How can one find joy in the face of disaster and death? Here are several passages from Paul’s letter that may give us direction for our lives in 2020.
PRAYER
Come, Lord Jesus, into my world today. May I discover and celebrate the gift of joy in the midst of the chaos and confusion of this day. Amen.
Monday – Philippians 1:1-11
Paul’s time in Philippi was not an easy vacation. He and Silas spent some time in jail there. (See Acts 16:16-40). But Paul was so proud of the Philippians. A key verse for me is verse 6. The work of God’s Spirit is not a one-time zap fixes all. God’s Spirit continues to work in us to grow us into the people God has always dreamed we would become. Paul promises that God will continue that work. Where is God working in you? What are your growing edges for the new year?
Tuesday – Philippians 2:1-11
This is thought to be an early church hymn about Jesus. When Paul urges us to align our attitude with the attitude of Christ Jesus, what kind of characteristics is he point to? What kind of attitude does Jesus have? What is the result of that attitude? What kind of attitude does God want you to have? How can you grow into that this year?
Wednesday – Philippians 3:1-11
Paul had every right to be proud. His religious pedigree was impeccable. But he didn’t see it that way, did he? Why? What has changed? What does your religious pedigree look like? Can you list all the things you have done that should be impressive? Now how do those compare to knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord? Bonhoeffer says one place you will never see wealthy powerful important people is … at a manger. There is no distinction between shepherd and king there.
Thursday – Philippians 3:12-21
Verse 13 jumps out at me. After acknowledging that all of Paul’s accomplishments are not very important in light of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord, Paul reveals his motivation and priority for living. What is it? What is your motivation and priority for living? How will you grow into that this coming year?
Friday – Philippians 4:1-9
Paul urges his readers to rejoice always. That sounds like a “happy go lucky” phrase, but please remember that Paul is in prison facing his own death. How can he rejoice always? His source of joy is not dependent upon outward circumstances but inward convictions. His focus is on verse 9. If your focus was on verse 9, how would it change your life in the coming year?
Saturday – Philippians 4:10-20
There are a couple of key verses in this passage: verse 11, verse 13, and verse 19. I invite you to choose one of those and work on memorizing it today. I suspect those three verses have a lot in common. I can learn to be content in all circumstances if I truly believe God will provide all my needs. And if I believe God will provide all my needs, I suspect I will have the confidence to do whatever God calls me to do. What is God calling you to do and be in the new year?