Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Hosanna- Jesus Christ the Lord of Peace

Biblical Passage: Philippians 4 :4-9

Devotion
We are faced with adversity, arguments and quarrels constantly in our everyday lives and unfortunately it is all too easy to forget the words of Paul in Philippians 4: 4-9. The background of this passage centers around an argument between two women in the early church who allowed a personal quarrel to affect their ministry. As seen in the passage, Paul encourages these women (and the church as a whole) to shift their focus away from their personal differences and towards the Lord. He reminds them that staying close to God and the qualities that are of the Lord allows for a completely new perspective. The key to this comes in verses 6-7: coming to God in prayer and with thanksgiving. The result of surrendering the situation to God is something that Paul considers transcendent: the peace of God guarding our hearts and minds. As humans, our tendency is to use our own understanding and follow our heart’s desires rather than submitting to the Lord. When we look at the world today and all of the turmoil and dissent, it can make us wonder what would happen if everyone faithfully came to the Lord in prayer and received the transcendent peace of God. As Paul implies in verse 9, the change should begin with us. He tells the women to look at the example that he has set and to put what they’ve learned from him into practice. Even in small situations, we should remind ourselves of this passage and submit it to God. Although not directly stated, it seems that this passage had at least some inspiration for the first verse of the hymn “What a Friend we Have in Jesus.” It truly reinforces the message displayed in this passage: 
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
  All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
  Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
  O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
  Everything to God in prayer!
Let us remind ourselves to continue to submit our petitions to God in prayer and equip our hearts and minds with the transcending peace of God.
Prayer
Lord, grant us the peace that transcends all human understanding so that we may realign our thoughts with Yours and approach each situation in life with gentleness and love.
Thought for the Day
 When life presents us with struggles and dissent, we simply need to come to the Lord in prayer and ask for His peace to wash over us.

Alex Mathew
Long Island, Mar Thoma Church

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