WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:03.439 Well, happy midweek, Redeemer. 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:14.160 Just a few minutes in the middle of the week for us to have our Bible chat devotional coming from the book of Philippians that we've been making our way through very slowly, just a few minutes in the middle of the week each week. 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:15.919 And so we're in Philippians chapter one. 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:24.960 If we remember, Paul is sitting in prison in Rome when he's writing this letter, and yet in this letter, he's writing more about joy than in any of his other letters. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:41.920 What an amazing thing for us just to reflect on right away and to remember that in the midst of circumstances that are dire and circumstances that feel so difficult, he's writing more and more about joy. 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:46.320 Not only that, but he's writing to a group of people that are dealing with incredibly difficult issues. 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:51.119 So this Philippian church, they're arguing, the leaders are having a difficult time. 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:55.679 There's just a lot of nasty, heartbreaking division. 00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:57.920 What a tough season Paul is in. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:04.000 What a tough season the Philippians are in, and yet they are writing and reflecting and pondering on joy. 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:07.359 What a tough season we have been in. 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:14.000 What a tough season you have been in the last seven weeks of coronavirus, quarantine, shelter in place. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:18.239 Society is reopening, but perhaps you are easing back in. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:21.920 Perhaps you are not able to even ease back in because of your situation. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:25.840 How easy it is for us to feel stuck. 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:34.159 Not only in this season of coronavirus, it's easy for us to feel stuck in our hearts when we're not developing spiritually as we thought we would. 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:37.040 The things that plague us still plague us. 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:47.200 Perhaps in a relationship, it's easy to feel stuck in a marriage, in a family with your children, that the relationship, that other person just isn't improving like you wanted them to. 00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:49.680 The relationship is not where you wanted to be. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:51.280 You are not where you want to be. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:54.640 It's so easy to feel stuck. 00:01:54.799 --> 00:02:01.680 Now, the interesting thing about this is that Paul certainly could feel incredibly stuck while he's sitting in prison. 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:10.000 And it would be so easy for us to just move straight into doing something and doing more and getting busy. 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:14.479 But Paul does not just put these people straight to work when he writes to them. 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:22.800 He helps them to know something, to understand something in their hearts before they are moved into action. 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:29.439 So here Philippians 1, verses 12 and 14 through 14, just uh just three verses here in the middle of the week. 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:33.199 I want you to know, brothers, and we can say brothers and sisters as to the church. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:56.080 I want you to know that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ, and most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:05.919 So this guy, Paul, is imprisoned, and he's saying, I'm seeing some good things in this. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:12.400 These guards that are around me, they're understanding something. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:14.400 They know why I'm here. 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:19.759 They're understanding there is a treasure worth more than circumstance and comfort. 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:22.080 These guards are learning something. 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:30.000 There's preachers out in the towns that are encouraged because of the faith and because of what I'm going through. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:31.280 This is what Paul is saying. 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:38.479 And Paul is saying, I'm seeing all of that in the quietness of being stuck. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:46.000 You see, if we get slow enough, a lot of times we begin to see things that we were missing. 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:51.919 And that's where I think this season can come in such a gift for us. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:59.280 I went back and began to ponder a few questions that I wrote out in a sermon a few weeks ago. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:12.159 I I think they have to do with this text and they have to do with this concept of us understanding and seeing and growing in our awareness of what God is doing around us and in us in the times of feeling and being stuck. 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:14.000 And here's a few questions. 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:14.719 Three questions. 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:18.160 This is the end of this short devotional this week. 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:19.680 Three questions. 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:29.120 Number one God, in what ways do I rely on circumstances for my joy and peace more than you? 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:35.120 That might be worthy for some reflection for us, some prayer, some quietness. 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:43.360 That first question, God, in what ways do I rely on circumstance for my joy and peace more than you? 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:46.639 That leads us into our second question. 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:54.879 God, in the slowness of the past seven weeks of shelter in place, what did you teach me? 00:04:55.519 --> 00:05:03.199 Oh, that would be such a great question to ask because a lot of times we can be learning lessons but never stop to ponder and reflect on them. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.199 But that question, and maybe with a journal, could be so helpful. 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:12.720 God, in the slowness of the past seven weeks of shelter in place, what did you teach me? 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:16.000 What was going on in my heart? 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:32.879 And the last question, which is reminding us of our belovedness, no matter how we have handled these last seven weeks or no matter how we feel today, God, how might I quiet my soul in increasing ways that I might see your move? 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:37.920 Remember my belovedness and know your peace? 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:39.920 Now that's a long question. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:44.800 It it begins with this question of God, how can I quiet my soul more? 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:46.720 How can I do that? 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:50.639 How can that be a part of my life, a rhythm in my life? 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:53.360 How can I quiet my soul in increasing ways? 00:05:53.519 --> 00:05:53.920 Why? 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:55.439 So I might see your move. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:56.639 What are you what are you doing? 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:58.160 What are you doing in my heart? 00:05:58.240 --> 00:05:59.040 What are you doing in my life? 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.199 What are you doing in my family, my friends, my work? 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:02.480 What are you doing? 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:12.079 But also that you might remember your belovedness, because if you're not remembering that, you're going to be more frantic than any stuckness you could ever feel. 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:19.360 And in that remembering of your belovedness and in that quiet, that you might know peace. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:21.839 Church, grace and peace to you. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:22.639 Have a great week.