Day 19 – Philippians 4:1-4

Mon 1st June – Read Philippians 4:1-4

V1: Paul expresses again his love for them, his longing to see them. What delight he has in these, his “spiritual children” (“my joy”) seeing them as the fruit of his ministry, by God’s grace (“my crown”) and he calls them to ” stand firm in the Lord “- not to be turned aside, either by difficulties and trials, or false teaching.

V2: Now he addresses the divisions in the church, which grieve and concern him, naming two women in particular, pleading with them to be one in the Lord and put away their division. Note how he addresses this issue with love and sensitivity (see also Galatians 6:1)

V3: He calls on an unnamed person – a “true companion” – perhaps a pastor/elder in the church, with whom Paul has worked closely in the past, to help these women deal with what has set them at odds. Once they had worked together in gospel service, along with Paul and the others referred to here, and Paul is sure they are in ” the book of life”, truly among the redeemed people of Christ. So, a church should be believers working together in the Lord, but ever on our guard, for Satan loves to cause divisions between us.

V4: Now he calls them all to “rejoice in the Lord” – the plea he began back in ch3 v1 – to do so “always” for whatever our circumstances and troubles, that joy of the Lord should remain in our hearts – he repeats the call to rejoice again! Do we know this joy, in and through our Saviour and Lord?