The Lord is Near: Presence
4. Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! [Ps. 37:4.]
5. Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon].
6. Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
7. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
8. For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].
9. Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.
- Philippians 4:4-9 AMPC
While there are many amazing truths, insights, and powerful secrets in this text, I thought verse 5 was very interesting. Specifically the statement, "the Lord is near".
The translator of the AMPC, and a few other bible translations, assumed that Paul was warning, or encouraging, that Christ was coming back soon. However, the original Greek does not really imply this, as we will discuss shortly.
I believe that this statement was purely a statement of truth. A fact that Paul is trying to remind the Phillipians of. And a revelation that He is hoping they will continue to become more aware of. "The Lord IS near".
The Lord, (Christ, Spirit, God) is in you. Is with you. According to Strong's Concordance, the Greek word that was translated as "near" is, "eggus", which has been given the following definition, "near (in place or time)".
The revelation of "He in us, us in Him", the same revelation that Jesus prayed that we would all have, (as seen in John 17), is the revelation that can trump all other beliefs, anxieties, experiences, and circumstances. The revelation of, "The Lord is near you", (with you in this very place and time), is the revelation that will cause us to rejoice, (as mentioned in verse 4).
The revelation - reality - that the God who parts waters, the Lord who can not be definitively killed, the spirit who can walk on water, who can multiply food when needed, or manifest money from the mouth of a fish (Matt. 17:24-27), this same Lord, this same spirit is not only alive and real, this Spirit - The Lord - is near you, with you, and in you; in this very moment at this very second.
The statement of "The Lord is near" [here, now, in this place, at this very moment] seems to be more of a reminder for us to live in the present moment. Not in the regrets or sorrows of the past, nor in the anxieties and worries of the future (which is mentioned immediately after the statement, in verse 6). The presence of the Lord is not in the past. The presence of Love, the presence of the God who is for you, is near you (here and now). The presence of Spirit is not in the future, it is in you and with you now. The presence of the Lord is here now, and near you in this very present moment.
The God of Hope (Rom 15:13), the God of peace (2 Thess. 3:16), the God of miracles (Mark 10:27), the God of wonders (Psa 77:14), and the God who is Love (1 John 4:8 & 16), is near you. Right here, right now. In this time and in this place. The only moment that truly matters is the moment of NOW. And in every moment of NOW, you can be assured, "THE LORD IS NEAR!"
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