Good morning on this Monday. Glad we can start out the week together in the Pastor’s Workshop.
We’re coming in the last week of our current series, “Prepare with Prayer”. We began with “Save the Day” based on “This is the day the Lord has made” (Psalm 118:24). We talked about being ready to take on whatever the day holds. We are “Battle Ready”, “strong in the Lord, in the strength of his might”, by “putting on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10, 11, 18). Our third week focused on the prayer our Lord taught us to pray, the Lord’s Prayer. As we pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven” we know God is ready to answer that prayer through us and our witness. (Luke 11:2). Last Sunday we were comforted with the great prayer of David, “The Shepherd’s Prayer”, Psalm 23. We learned three important prayers: “There is a greater glory that restores my soul”; “In the shadow, I have a Shepherd”; “I have a home in the heart of God forever!”
This week we finish with a very timely and practical blessing of prayer. In these troubled, stress filled days, how can prayer help? Our title this week is “Spiritual Stress”. Our Scripture is Philippians 4:6-7.
“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
On Mondays we “saturate” ourselves in the Scripture. We read and re-read, write and rewrite the text from several translations. We want the words of the Scripture sink in deep.
It is helpful in this process to read several translations or modern paraphrases of the same Scripture. The way different scholars translate the original Greek language helps stir our thinking. Just look at how this text is translated/paraphrased below.
Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus. – JB Philips translation
7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. – The Message paraphrase
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. The New Living Translation
After reading the Scripture several times in several translations, try your own paraphrase. This exercise will focus your faith on the message the Spirit is speaking to you.
I’m glad we can be in this Scripture this week. Its practical advice about turning worry into prayer is something we all need to hear.
In that blessing I look forward to exploring this blessing with you more fully this week in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for your invitation to pray. In Your love You invite us to lift up whatever is on our heart to your holy, loving heart. You call us to turn our cares into prayers. Strengthen us in this faith as we go through this week. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen