Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The text for today’s meditation is Philippians 4:4-7.

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:4 ESV)

There is a song based on verse 4 that comes to mind every time I read this, (sing – rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice) It is a joyful song and captures what the writer Paul was trying to communicate to the Christians at Philippi. He recognizes that many trials and tribulations can get in the way of rejoicing and that is why he emphasizes it a second time, "again I say rejoice." Paul may have written the letter to the Philippians but it still applies today for you and me. How can we rejoice when we are facing pain, sin, sickness, death, joblessness, anguish? That is a very good question and we can find the answer in Paul himself.

You see, Paul didn’t write this while sitting on the beach at the French Riviera. He had been betrayed by his countrymen, mistaken for an Egyptian renegade, almost murdered by 40 men who vowed not to eat or drink until he was dead, caught up in the Roman political machine for 2 years, shipwrecked on the Island of Malta for a winter, and then placed under house arrest. We might just see Paul’s picture next to the definition of "victim" in the dictionary. It is in this context of being "in danger from bandits, his own countrymen, Gentiles, the city, the country, the sea, and from false brothers" that Paul writes this letter. He writes this letter in joy.

He writes in Joy because he knows what his Lord, Jesus, has done, is doing, and will do for all believers. Paul knows that Jesus is the reason to rejoice! He states that the Lord is at hand, He is near both in His presence and His second coming. Eternal life and the continuing presence of the Lord is Paul’s reason for rejoicing and He wants us to realize it is our reason as well. Paul tells them and us not to be anxious; another word for anxious is worry; the dictionary defines worry as, "To torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts, fret." Paul conveys several meanings in his choice of Greek words; Anxious harassing care, to carry the burden of the future oneself, unreasonable anxiety, especially about things over which one has no control. All of these definitions sound like they can do damage to us; they are definitely unhealthy. Instead of being anxious we are to pray in thanksgiving. Paul actually names three different types of prayer in verse 6 when he says "but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." The first is prayer, defined as a devout petition to God. The second is Supplication defined as, to pray humbly. The third is Request defined as, the act of requesting something to be given or done. Notice they each have a little different use or meaning. It also speaks to how we are to pray, devout and humbly.

The whole point of this text is to answer the question when to pray. The same verse has the answer as well, "but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." It says in everything, notice it does not say for everything. It is put a little differently and maybe clearer in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 18 "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1Th 5:18 ESV) In all circumstances we are to give thanks. We are not to give thanks for the sin, sickness, joblessness, anguish but we are to give thanks in those circumstances. We are still God’s children and we are secure in our salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus. He washed our sins away in our baptism and buried those sins in the tomb never to be seen again. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!

Admiral Horatio Nelson was perhaps Britain’s most decorated naval hero. Sir Robert Stopford, who commanded one of the ships with which Nelson chased to the West Indies a fleet nearly double in number, says in a letter: "We are half-starved and otherwise inconvenienced by being so long out of port, but our reward is that we are with Nelson." Sir Robert was living in anguish yet he was rejoicing because of his reward of the honor of being with Admiral Nelson. Your reward is even greater; you are with Christ, and through Christ with God.

God doesn’t stop the reward at just His presence. He provides for us, let’s see what Luther says about providing for us in the explanation of the first article of the Apostles Creed. I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them.

He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.

He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.

This is most certainly true.

We can rejoice and give thanks for all that we are and have through Jesus and it doesn’t stop there.

Paul tells us our prayers have results. They result in peace, God’s peace. It is not only peace with God through Jesus but also peace from God that is the result of our righteous standing earned by Jesus. The dictionary defines peace as, "Freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety; tranquility; serenity." God’s peace is much more effective at producing results than anything we could ever strive for and it is much more effective for removing anxiety any worrying we can do. It is called, "the peace that passes understanding" God’s peace comes with a promise as well. God promises to guard your heart and mind just as the guards at Arlington Cemetery guard the Unknown Soldier. God will protect your weakest part that the evil one is most likely to attack. By trust and prayer believers enter the impregnable fortress of God’s peace in the Lord Jesus Christ, a fortress from which nothing can dislodge them.

Take comfort in God’s peace and in all circumstances give thanks. It is said that a prayer without thanksgiving is like a bird without wings. It has trouble rising upward.

I will end with a story about a young woman that really understands giving thanks in all circumstances.

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was discussing certain aspects of her final wishes with her pastor.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly..

'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.

'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.

'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork ...the best is yet to come.'

She KNEW that something better was coming.

No matter what circumstances you find yourself in, give thanks because something better is coming.

Amen