Scripture: Philippians 1:4-5
I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now.
Thought for the Day: Can I confess something here? I have always been troubled by the words, “…and it’s always a prayer full of joy.” Now the way it is often translated, it makes it sound as if the prayers specifically for the church in Philippi is what brings joy to the heart of Paul, but I had to write a paper on this verse years ago. Another confession, my Greek was never very good. But as I translated the original Greek of this verse, it could be translated in a way that made it sound that all of Paul’s prayers are full of joy. Strangely, there is a part of me that hopes that is not the way to translate it, but there is just enough possibility that I am called to task. You see, a lot of my prayers don’t have a lot of joy. I don’t want to make it sound as if they are all dark and foreboding, but I take a lot of pain and heartache to God in prayer. It’s rarely mine. Instead, the pain-soaked words belong to those who talk to me, confide in me, and confess to me. As a pastor, I need to do something with that information and knowledge. I can’t just let it sit, and so it goes with me in prayer. It is almost a debriefing session. I tend to think that Paul’s prayers were full of joy no matter the circumstance. I believe Paul’s faith, though troubled and challenged and harassed, was linked so tightly to Jesus that joy was always present. The current situation could be dark and frightening, yet the hope and love put on display in Jesus could not be diminished. This is where I need to work, for though my relationship with Jesus is pretty good, the darkness can appear to eclipse the joy. Maybe you find yourself needing to work on this as well. Please understand that I’m not suggesting some sort of naive or unrealistic understanding of suffering and pain. It is real, yet at the end of the day, it is powerful to know that no matter what the suffering and pain brings, I cannot be taken somewhere that love isn’t fully present. That should be a catalyst for joy.
Prayer: May joy – the joy centered in your unconditional and far-reaching love – be a part of every aspect of my life. Lord God, I ask that I be tethered to your joy even as I find myself wading deeply into the rough and unforgiving seas of life. Amen.
PRAYING FOR
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
ATTENDING CHURCH CAMP
THIS WEEK
