Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

The Hinge To Christian Living

There are many things the Christian needs to possess in their life to find the full enjoyment of God’s grace. Knowing one is redeemed by the blood of the Lamb should bring the joy of eternal salvation. Life can be hard, but there is a spirit of rejoicing that should permeate the soul of man, knowing that sin will not have dominion over the one who is in Christ. There are two reminders to rejoice in the Lord always. Having a daily up-look of thanksgiving moves the heart to be filled with a joyous song. This joy shows itself in the relationship people of God have with people of the world. There is a forbearance, gentle, and gracious moderation in the example of the child of God to a world filled with the chaos of sin. What the world sees in the life of the Christian is one that keeps passions in control, showing kindness toward all men.

Worry should not characterize the heart of the Christian. Jesus reminded the disciples in the mountain sermon that worry does not add one cubit to life. Worrying about matters of life causes more destruction than edification. The birds of the air are cared for by God. Those who follow Christ are of much greater value than the sparrows. God will provide. He will never forsake His people. Being anxious for nothing fosters a spirit of prayer and thanksgiving for all the provisions God gives. Prayer is the avenue of faith, trusting in the Lord to provide those things needed to give contentment to the troubled heart. God always answers the petitions of His people. The conclusion of such grace is found in the peace of God. There is a calm spirit possessed by the Christian who knows God will continue to guard and bless the hearts and minds of His children.

Center to all of the blessings of rejoicing, prayer, thanksgiving, and the worry-free spirit of the Christian is the blessing that the Lord is at hand. Knowing that the return of Jesus could be at any time is the hinge that fills the heart of the Christian with all the blessings of God. The reason Christians are anxious for nothing is that the things of the world will have no significance, knowing that the Lord is coming. Prayer and supplication are speaking to the One who can appear at any moment. A thanksgiving heart acknowledges that any day, the Lord will return to take His servants home with Him. Knowing Jesus can come at any time does not bring fear or dread, but the peace of God. This knowledge exceeds anything the Christian can imagine.

The love of the world hampers the knowledge of the return of Jesus. Paul reminded the Philippians that the Lord is at hand. His message is for them to consider the blessings of being in Christ and to reflect on whether, in death or at His return, Jesus is near. The hope of eternal life cannot be realized in this life. Eternal life comes in the next life, guarded by death and the unknown day of the Lord’s return. As the Christian walks in the light, he realizes all the blessings of being anxious for nothing because his hope is in the coming of the Lord. Praying to the Father speaks to the day when the Lord will return. No one knows that day when God will conclude the affairs of man and direct His Son to gather all the saved in the eternal home. Until that time, the saints lived lives of glory, basking in the peace of God and praying for the return of Christ.

The hinge to Christian living is how everything depends on the knowledge that the Lord is at hand. Living in Christ is living in the knowledge of His return. He has not returned for more than 2,000 years, but He will come one day. It does not matter what day that will be because Jesus does not know the day. What this means for the child of God is how joyous each day must be to realize the grace of God to share in His peace. Be anxious for nothing because Jesus is coming back. This knowledge brings rejoicing. Prayer ushers in each day as the day the Lord will come. The heart and mind are guarded through Christ Jesus because He is coming back – one day! Rejoice! Again, rejoice!!