“Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
This morning I am overcome with a sense of quiet amazement that I am able to lift up requests, concerns, and praises to the God of Heaven. And He cares enough to listen. And to respond in loving faithfulness.
One of my favorite verses is tucked away in Daniel 9:23, “At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved.” We are greatly loved. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross—all of the agony, all of the pain, His obedience that led to His death and later His glorious resurrection—allows us to approach the throne of grace without fear. We can come directly to the One who reigns over all and know that He will hear us. He will draw near. He will understand us to our very core.
“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8). This peace of God that washes over us as we pour out our hearts comes in knowing that He holds all things in His hands. It comes in knowing how deep His love is for you and how powerful and unchanging He is. So we rest in His care. “Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling” (Psalm 116:7-8).
Heavenly Father, thank You for the assurance that You hear us. Impress upon each of our hearts the breadth, length, height, and depth of Your great love. “When I thought, ‘My foot slips,’ Your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, Your consolations cheer my soul” (Psalm 94:18-19). Thank You for how You uphold us, for how You uplift our face. Lord Jesus, thank You for making peace by the blood of Your cross…it is only because of You that we can approach the throne of grace. Holy Spirit, guard our hearts and minds with the peace of God. Strengthen our faith as we look to the God of Hope, knowing that You are for us.
In Pleasant Places 