Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “When I saw that the people were slipping away from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed…I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of the Lord’; so I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 1 Samuel 13:11-12 NRSV.

You shall not go out with haste…for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard. Isaiah 52:12.

The Lord is my Shepherd…I shall not be in want…Psalm 23:1.

Our chapter, Philippians 1, had this introduction: “Written by Paul from Rome probably between AD 60 and 64. The church was founded by Paul on his second missionary journey in the midst of a storm of persecution. The beginnings of the work were small, among a few women at the riverside. Lydia, a seller of purple, was the first convert, and she was soon joined by the Philippian jailer and his family. These, and perhaps a few others became the nucleus of the church (Acts 16:12-40). Paul, as a high class, zealous Jew, who had abandoned as worthless all his legal righteousness – to accept the righteousness by faith in Christ.” Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents – which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

This reads like an intimate love letter from Paul to the church in Philippi. They have held to the love of God the Father and Jesus the Son and Savior, led by the Holy Spirit. They know joy. They understand how Paul could write – According to my earnest expectation and hope…that I will not be put to shame in anything…but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always – be exalted in my body – whether by life or by death…that…For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Creator God – Father, Son, Holy Spirit, brings that kind of understanding of what it is to be close to Him. Whether in this physical life now or through death to the next life lived with Him always, we are loved. You can hear that joy in Paul as he writes of Creator God. He knew his beloved friends in Philippi share that same joy. Paul is in prison and the work of God goes on for even the whole praetorian guard in Rome! How could they ever have expected Paul? What about us? Are we willing to be led by God? Creator God is restoring and rebuilding what was lost – our closeness and joy in Him. He is preparing us if we are willing. Our trust and hope is not in any flawed institutions of this world. Our trust is in our God who is working and restoring our healing in Him. He alone can restore what is needed in His church which is His body in this physical life we live. And our joy is that as we look to Him and trust in Him, we appreciate that all the imperfections in ourselves and in our world are the growing pains showing us our need for Him. He is our Light so needed in this world we inhabit now. At the close of this year, can we remember? The people who walk in darkness will see a great Light; those who live in a dark land, the Light will shine on them…For a child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us…and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor! Mighty God! Eternal Father! Prince of Peace! There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace. On the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:2, 6-7. Our deep, abiding joy will be restored by God as we accept His healing righteousness by our faith in Jesus Christ and all He is doing for us. He is preparing us always to go forward with Him. Look to Him. He is our Light. You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into Light. Psalm 18:28.