Hearts Guarded by Peace (A reflection on Philippians 4 and Isaiah 31)

Philippians 4:5b—8, 13

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

The Lord is at hand; 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.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

These are very well-known verses. However, it does us good to be reminded of God’s nearness and power on our behalf. These are anxious days and so many people suffer from various forms of anxiety, some to the point of needing medication and other therapies. However, in this passage, we have a great weapon against the fears, anxieties, and ineffective coping behaviors that we might face. This passage says that we are neither alone nor separated from God by any distance. The Lord is “near” or “at hand,” and that should calm us down. We can talk to him about everything…and remember how much we have to be thankful for. In a post on Col. 4, I talked about thanksgiving/gratitude functioning like a vaccination against, and an antidote for, PTSD. No matter what we face, if we focus on what we can be thankful for, we will come out better than if we just get mad. Today I want to also add that v. 8 contains a positive replacement for all the worries and other concerns that might want to overwhelm us. There are so many wonderful things for us to think about, but they make for poor ratings on a news show. In the end, news media is geared to produce anxiety, and prayerfully practicing the presence of God guards against it.

Photo by Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash

The question is, will I turn to the Lord in prayer when faced with a moment of anxiety and fear or will I run somewhere else? Isaiah 30-31 warns Judah about how they should respond to a real threat. Isaiah was dealing with Judah’s desire to run to Egypt for help against the invading Assyrians. 

Though written some 25 centuries ago, the words of Isaiah 31:1-3 are still powerful!

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help
    and rely on horses,
who trust in chariots because they are many
    and in horsemen because they are very strong,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel
    or consult the Lord!
And yet he is wise and brings disaster;
    he does not call back his words,
but will arise against the house of the evildoers
    and against the helpers of those who work iniquity.
The Egyptians are man, and not God,
    and their horses are flesh, and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
    the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall,
    and they will all perish together.

While we have more advanced technology today, the principle is the same. Will we relationally return to the Lord, resting/trusting in him for direction, correction, and protection, or will we try to find a different way? Why would we turn away from the Lord for a merely human solution? Sadly, we, like Judah are stubborn and unwilling to admit that we need God’s help.

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
    in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
But you were unwilling, (30:15)

Gustave Dore (1832-1883),
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Even so, though we suffer for our stubbornness, God in his love still works on our behalf.

Verse 8 says that when we cast away our idols (false trusts) and return to the Lord,

“And the Assyrian shall fall by a sword, not of man;
    and a sword, not of man, shall devour him…”

We know from history (2 Kings 19:35) that the Assyrian army (185,000 soldiers) was destroyed in a single night.

O Lord God, Holy Father, Son, and Spirit, I cry out to you now and renounce the false trusts that lobby for my heart’s attention. You are near and that makes all the difference. Let me sense your nearness amid the challenges I face today and may I see your might at work in marvelous ways. I don’t want to settle for human solutions like horses and Egypt and the false confidence they bring. Please restore an attitude of quietness and trust in my heart that will strengthen me to stand and bear witness to your steadfast love for an anxious generation. Blessed be your name, Jesus, for you are strong to save, even today!