Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; Philippians 4:4-5 (ESV)

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Philippians 4:4-5 (NLT)

After the experiences of last year, tilting one’s head at this verse in curious thought wouldn’t be unimaginable. Paul writes to the Philippians that they should practice always being full of joy and rejoicing, and Paul repeats it for added emphasis. It sounds like a phrase that would be easy to say and hard to do. What subjects this thought to further scrutiny is the fact that, while 2020 was hard, I believe most (if not all) of us haven’t experienced life with the same struggles Paul experienced. To add background to his experiences, here’s a list in his own words:

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? 2 Corinthians 11:24-29 (ESV)

If Paul, having experienced these things, can set an example of the fullness of joy and rejoicing for the Philippians, following Paul’s lead and letting the Lord fill us with joy and rejoicing, even in these difficult times, sounds a practice worth emulating.

As 2021 continues and difficulties arise, reflect on Philippians 4:4-5 and seek the Lord in joy and rejoicing! Will it be difficult? Of course! Our heritage of belief is full of those who have faced what we’ve just been through (and continue to experience), and much worse, and still found and expressed the joy only Jesus can bring, rejoicing along the way. As the struggles of life greet you, tap into our heritage and let the true joy of the Lord fill you and rejoice in him! Perhaps, without even knowing it, you’ll be a shining example to those around you!

By Rich Obrecht

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Philippians 3:12-16

Many companies are using the phrase ‘pursuing perfection’ as their product by-line. From car manufacturers to prepared foods and electronics, producing the perfect consumable seems to be the goal. In their pursuit of perfection, we can be sure there are the occasional failures. Imperfect beings can’t produce a perfect anything. We can only get close.

Paul admits as much in our passage. He describes pushing forward in his pursuit and leaving behind him past efforts, ostensibly good or bad. This passage almost seems to have a sporting motif, using words like ‘press on’ or ‘straining forward.’ It brings images of track events where athletes are running hard for the tape, concentrating on the goal of finishing and hoping for victory. Mistakes made previously are forgotten in the pursuit of victory. Focusing on past events, good or bad, can distract them.

As Jesus followers, we experience our spiritual journey with successes and failures. We slip up and make mistakes. We also have bright shining moments when the journey moves forward by leaps and bounds. But, like the athletes running hard for the goal, we try to keep our eyes on the goal, keeping it in view, and leaving past experiences behind. But sometimes the past distracts us from our pursuit.

Some of us are perfectionists, never fully happy with what we’re doing. What we’re doing never feels or seems good enough. But, in our spiritual journey, despite our imperfection, we have the perfect one, Jesus, present with us. When the ‘track’ we’re running on seems to reach up and pull us down, we have someone to help us get up and begin running once again. In all the exuberance brought by great strides forward and the frustration by the stumbling, we continue to persevere.

We’ve all watched track events where the athletes participate in their event with little evident struggle. Technique on the track is only perfected in practice and failure. So, too, is our journey. As mentioned before, successes and failures come along. If distraction or failure comes along, perhaps reading what Teilhard de Chardin has written will help in understanding that we’re not alone, and the strong hands of Jesus will lift us up in our rough times.

Prayer of Teilhard de Chardin

Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.

And yet it is the law of all progress
that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you;
your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.
—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

By Rich Obrecht

For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:8

Rizpah isn’t a name most would recognize from the Bible (2 Samuel 22:10-14). She was a concubine of King Saul’s whose two sons were given to the Gibeonites as justice for something wrong Saul had done to them. These two, along with five other of Saul’s male descendants were executed and left outside. Rizpah, seemingly driven by deep and rooted love, guarded her two sons’ bodies against birds and wild animals for the entire harvest season, night and day. I can think of no other reason why someone would guard their sons so diligently than a love as deeply rooted as a mother’s love.

Today the word ‘love’ is tossed about for everything from a shirt or blouse to dogs to just about anything you can think of. It’s almost as if this broad use has decoupled its true meaning in the English vernacular. The depth and rootedness of the word ‘love’ has been diminished, nearly eliminated.
Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, demonstrates the rooted love he has for them. Before the short verse above, Paul talks of his feeling affection for the Philippians, and how appropriate his affection is. Their love for him was astounding to him, and it was the deep, rich, fertile soil in which his love was firmly rooted for the Philippians.

The love God has for us surpasses the demonstration of Rizpah’s love, and it surpasses the mutual love and affection the Philippians and Paul had for each other. Jesus, God’s only son, descended into humanity, came as a servant (Philippians 2:7) and died for us. Rizpah probably felt she approached death in her seeming never-ending protection of her sons’ bodies, but Jesus did die. Only an eternally rooted love of the deepest variety could ever prompt such a sacrifice (Ephesians 3:17-19).

As you go through your day, observe those around you, whether you know them or not, and consider God’s deeply rooted love for them. Listen closely for the Spirit’s prompting. It’s amazing to understand and witness the healing qualities of a loving look, gesture, touch, or conversation. While our current circumstances limit our ability to touch, love can be demonstrated in many ways. A spoken word with a gentle look can show those around you God’s deep, abiding love for them

By Rich Obrecht

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. Philippians 1:1-7

As long as I lived at home with mom and dad, I remember mom standing in the door, waving as I left. When I asked her why she waved, her answer was “While I’m waving, I’m praying for you.” It brought me to tears. My deep sense of gratitude for mom caused me to mimic this with my children. And it’s a habit I’ve begun for anyone leaving my home.

Paul describes his gratitude for the Philippians receiving this letter. The jailings, beatings, threats, and all the other harsh realities for Paul didn’t diminish his gratitude for them. His gratitude was present regardless of context, good or bad. What an example Paul is for us! Following Paul’s example of gratitude regardless of context is worth emulating (Philippians 3:17). Paul was also very thankful for God’s bringing the Philippians to mind. As an aside, what a wonderful practice to bring those who cross your mind to the Lord in prayer. This can be an uplifting spiritual exercise for you as well the potential for meeting some need of those who cross your mind.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a young man. My memories contain many old hymns. To this day, I remember their words as they’re deeply etched in my heart. Rarely does singing them not bring tears to my eyes, just as thinking of them does as I type these words. My soul-felt gratitude for my parents loving my soul enough to introduce me to Jesus is probably the reason for the response. No matter the circumstances or context, it’s uplifting and gratifying. Wherever we are in life, our sense of gratitude towards God and our fellow Christ-followers can lift us. The circumstances may not change, but God remains our stalwart, strong tower, the one we lean upon.

Perhaps a hymn that best puts words to my God-directed gratitude is ‘Great is Thy Faithfulness.’ I’ve included the lyrics below and a link to hearing the song. Take a few moments and either read the lyrics, listen to the song, or both. As you go through the hymn, my prayer for you is, regardless of your context, these words will increase your gratitude towards our Father.

Great is Thy Faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee,
Thou changest not, Thy compassion’s, they fail not,
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Lyrics: Thomas Chisolm
Tune: William M. Runyon

By Rich Obrecht

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:1-6

I’ve been alive for the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, the Vietnam war, wars in the Middle East, innumerable natural tragedies, 9/11, all of which altered life in some way. As a young boy, I was shielded from some changes simply because I didn’t know what things were like before. But, as an adult, I know very well the before and after. And 2020 appears to be bringing changes to how life will be.
I believe we’ll be talking about 2020 for the rest of our lives. The nexus of injustices made evident, an election year, COVID-19, the death of family members, to name a few, will make sure of that. And we’ll recite what happened, and how they could have been handled better by all. While these conversations don’t help a whit the experiences as we lived them, they can inform our living through more calamity when it comes. Perhaps we’ll be able to learn much from 2020, giving credence to the phrase, ‘Hindsight is 2020.’

My prayer is we’ve learned leaning on anything other than Christ is like leaning on a broken rod and its painful result (Isaiah 36:6). Learning trust in the Lord and not humans would be the best result to this prayer. God is perfect, man isn’t. God’s direction is with perfect vision, humans’ is accomplished through dirty lenses and the fog of self. God is worthy of our unfettered trust!

Anchoring trust in God might begin with making a timeline. Draw your timeline since March 2020, when things really spun up. Write down, as best you can, the dates of things which seemed insurmountable and things that didn’t. As the memories come back, and you recall those good or bad times, jot down how God was present with you. If you didn’t feel his presence, write that down, too. Write it all down as you remember it. Then, share your timeline with friends and family. When you do, perhaps conversation will remind you of God’s presence you may have missed or forgotten. As the years go by, and you experience difficult times, look back and remember God’s presence in 2020, and how he was with you, especially when you didn’t realize it. I believe you’ll find God’s with you once again.

By Rich Obrecht