Corona Devo 1777

It's been over eighteen years since we had an infant come home from the hospital with us and be put into our (inexperienced and naive) care.  Nothing (that I have experienced) highlights your lack of control and knowledge more than the responsibility and privilege of being a parent.

And I remember some late nights and (very) early-hours of the day when laying our children down in the crib...there was a part of me that was so worried to leave them alone in there. 

I would creep out of their room and then lay my own (tired) self down in my bed and I would pray.  

God, watch over them.  Lord, hold them close.  Father, I commit them to Your care... Zzzzzzzz.

If I am honest, my sleep often came before my "Amen" to those prayers, but so did my peace.  God gave me both: peace and rest.  

Days go by and years do too.  

All of us fight the temptation to worry about things and people.  Life is complicated and can be very difficult.

But God is constant and His supreme authority and control (over the world and our individual lives) never waivers.  

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.  ~Hebrews 13:8

Through His Word (the Bible), God actually provides a prescription for our patterns-and-prayers in coming to Him about whatever we are facing today.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  ~Philippians 4:6-7

It might seem ludicrous for us to absorb the idea of "not being anxious or worrying about anything", but the Lord is speaking His truth and authority and instruction into us today.  

We are prone to worry: our flesh wants to control everything...but we can't.  Regardless of our power/finances/education/earthly-authority/preparation (whatever we are prone to "trust" in) we can't control all outcomes and nor can we alter outcomes by worry and stress.  

Haven't we learned that yet?  

No--we haven't, and that's why God speaks this verse into us and our worries afresh today.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God...  ~Philippians 4:6

The anxiety and worry comes, we don't have to invite it, but God gives us our defense: prayer and petition (and other Bible translations will say "supplication").

Pray to God about what worries us today.  Petition Him about it 

(Petition: make or present a formal request to an authority.  ~Oxford Languages Dictionary).

(Supplication: the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly.  

Oxford Languages Dictionary)

Give (our worries) to God right now...and we have to be real about it.  Petition Him about it.  Make a formal request (this is called prayer) to the Authority of our lives.  He's listening.  

Ask earnestly and humbly (this is called prayer) for the Lord's peace over our problems, and He will give it.  

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God...  ~Philippians 4:6

Prayer (giving it to God) is our first line of defense against the anxieties around us and within us.  Lay it down before Him today.

And I know (from experience) that we are so worried to leave (our issue) alone with God, but I also know (from experience) that we can trust God with our worries today.

"Creep out of the room" (if you will), and we can lay our own tired selves down (before Him) and (continue) praying.   

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.  ~Peter 5:7

God, watch over _____.  Lord, hold ____ close.  Father, I commit ___ to Your care. Amen.

And watch what happens.  

For real: if we will trust God in His instructions and obey His Word: watch what happens in our heart.  In our mind.  In our life.  

There is peace. 

God's peace.  

The situation/person/relationship/issue may resolve....and it may not, but a funny thing happens on the way to trusting God with it: His peace.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  ~Philippians 4:6-7

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

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