Week Seven - Day 5
Today's Reading
Letter to the Philippians
Paul is most likely under house arrest in Rome as he writes this letter to the Philippians, and it is a joy to read toady as I am sure it was a joy for the Philippians to receive around the year 61 AD. He has a special place in his heart for this Christian community, not only because he had first brought them the gospel, but because they had been so supportive of him as he made further missionary journeys. They knew that he was imprisoned in Rome and had sent their support and prayers to him, which had brought him much comfort. His letter to them is filled with encouragement and personal well-wishes, as well as some reminders to keep the faith.
It is hard for me to pick out one or two favorite verses in the Letter to the Philippians, for even though it is short in length it is packed with words and phrases that lift the heart and strengthen the soul. When Paul says to "make my joy complete" (2:2), or "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus" (2:5), or "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (2:12), or "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus" (3:14), or "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say Rejoice" (4:4), it is only a sampling of what this letter has to offer to us today.
Read this letter slowly. Read it more than once. Mark those passages that make your heart sing. And then think of Paul in prison and the peace that his faith brought into his life. May we share that peace, now, and for evermore.
It is hard for me to pick out one or two favorite verses in the Letter to the Philippians, for even though it is short in length it is packed with words and phrases that lift the heart and strengthen the soul. When Paul says to "make my joy complete" (2:2), or "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus" (2:5), or "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (2:12), or "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus" (3:14), or "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say Rejoice" (4:4), it is only a sampling of what this letter has to offer to us today.
Read this letter slowly. Read it more than once. Mark those passages that make your heart sing. And then think of Paul in prison and the peace that his faith brought into his life. May we share that peace, now, and for evermore.
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