October 17, 2023

Today's Reading: Philippians 4:4-13

Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:19-36, Matthew 5:21-48

“The Lord is at hand…”

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Lord is at hand..Rejoice in the Lord always…do not be anxious about anything”. Yeah that seems like it's not gonna happen.  When you look at everything around us today it seems like there is very little to rejoice over.  If the struggles and fears of life weren’t bad enough, Paul’s words today have been severely misused with Christians.  So much of Christianity today loves to beat people over the head with this passage from Philippians, as if this somehow a hand-book for being a happier and stress-free Christian. Paul’s words today are not some sort of self-help to make you more happy and anxious-free as a Christian, the key to all of this passage today is “The Lord is at hand…”.  Life truly stinks.  

The pressures we face each day and the sins we constantly love to swim in are drowning us.  Living a life of rejoicing and not being anxious is something you can’t accomplish on your own, it must be done by the Lord who is at hand. Our lives are lived under the cross of Jesus Christ who suffered and bore our sins, our shame, our guilt that have caused us despair and fear. We did our worst to Jesus at the cross and He rose from the dead victorious over death, not to give us some sort of example to follow but to give to us that same victory over sin and death.  Your greatest fear and source of anxiety has been covered in the blood of Jesus Christ.  Jesus  says to you each and every day, “Do not be afraid”.  

If you aren’t comforted by that, if you can’t rejoice in that, if anxieties don’ cease, then confess your sins to Jesus who forgives.  Pray to Him who hears your prayers and cry out “Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief”.  He hears your prayers, He sees your suffering and fears and He promises that heaven and earth will pass away but His words will never pass away.  This means that this world of suffering and fears is not permanent for you.  He has overcome your death, He promises you that this veil of tears, anxiety, and negativity are not all that we have to look forward to.  Whether we live or die, “the Lord is at hand” shepherding you to that place He has prepared for in the glory to be revealed in heaven. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Rely on God your Savior   And find your life secure. Make His work your foundation

That your work may endure.  No anxious thought, no worry,  No self-tormenting care

Can win your Father's favor;  His heart is moved by prayer.  (LSB 754:2)

- Pastor Kent Schaaf is pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Little Rock. AR..

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.