Hello, my name is James and welcome to Tuesday’s Foundations podcast. Thank you for listening in today – I know for some families its day two of the school half-term time – I hope this short thought, worship song and Bible passage is a MASSIVE blessing to you guys especially as you are out and about or at home finding 7 or so minutes to listen. This week and today as we finish the book of Philippians we will be looking again at God’s amazing grace.

REFLECTION

God’s love and justice at his own expense.

Exactly what we need and not what we deserve.

Impossible to earn and yet freely given.

For the record, when it comes to gifts, I am not the greatest gift giver. My wife, Lucy, will back me up. When it comes to gifts for her I try really hard to think of something special. She loves my effort but we both know I don’t do very well, and remembering other close friends or family birthdays… thank you God for notifications in my diary and Facebook reminders! She, on the other hand, rarely forgets. She especially loves to send a thank you card. A sure sign of someone “adulting” well.

I have a lot to learn from Mrs Brown about thinking of others in advance, and generosity.

In these closing words in the book of Philippians, Paul, like my wife, is penning a thank you card to the end of his letter. He is thanking the Philippian church as a community that has supported him as an apostle. They have been sending him generous financial gifts. Their thoughtful gift has “amply supplied” what he needed. More than employers, or one off gift givers, they are partners in his work of seeing the gospel bear fruit and grow all over the world. We are told in v14 they care not just about the work but their partnership runs deeper as they look to not only share in the good news but in his troubles too.

How good is it to see a group of believers clearly overflowing with faith. A community looking beyond their own material needs and looking for opportunities to invest their time/energy/money/relationships in seeing something eternally flourish. This is where Paul lands the letter today in v19: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” In other words, wherever we have said ‘no’ to something to save up and say ‘yes’ to this kind of offering… wherever you have used the investments we make for spiritual return… Paul writes that God will not be out-given… needs will be met… The Message version puts this verse like this… no matter the size of the gift “Gods generosity will exceed ours… in the glory that pours out of Jesus”… we can’t out-give a God who gave us the gift of his love…

We get a glimpse here of a community impacted by God’s amazing grace and beginning to overflow with generosity, love and partnership.

Today we can finish this thought by asking for faith like Paul. Faith that God can meet any needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Or perhaps we could pray for opportunity to partner with someone today… not just in their headlines but in their troubles too. Is there someone who comes to mind who needs lifting up today? A kind word or a gift? How can we begin to live in response to God’s amazing grace?

How is God speaking to us today through these closing words in Philippians?

PRAYER

God, thank you for these believers. Even though we’re centuries apart there is so much to learn. We thank you that the same God that saved them is drawing us close too. Would you be speaking to us through this Lent period, strengthening our faith and teaching us your ways. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

READING: PHILIPPIANS 4:14-23

Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia,