The Lord is at Hand

 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Phillipians 4:6

   At group the other night someone quoted this verse in relation to a situation they were going through.  Their use of the verse was appropriate and in context with what they were going through.  (I'm a stickler for context)  But as they were quoting this verse I happened to look it up and noticed something that I had never seen before.  The sentence doesn't begin in verse 6.  Actually, the first part of this sentence (thought) begins at the end of the previous verse.  There is a reason given why we are not to be anxious.  Look at it:

"The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. " Phillipians 4:5b-6

     We are not to be anxious because, "The Lord is at hand;"  Wow!  Now there's a reason not to be anxious!  Now, while I do believe this speaks to the Lord's proximity to us, it really is speaking more to His soon return. (I see no reason why both can't be taken as true from this verse) 

     Not only are we not to be anxious because He is near to us and watching out for us, but we are to consider our ultimate end.  True, things may look shaky now and everything is going wrong and you might even be scared for your very life, but "The Lord is at hand!"  Don't worry!  Jesus is coming back and we will reign victorious with Him FOREVER!  It will ultimately end for His glory and our good!  (Romans 8:28, Ephesians 1:11)

     David when pondering why the righteous suffered and the wicked prospered said, "until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end." Psalm 73:17 

     If David can take heart considering the destruction of the ungodly, surely we must take great hope realizing our ultimate glorious salvation; in our departure from the presence of sin and it's cruel effects and our eternity glorifying the One who has rescued us from it. 

     This, I believe, is a wonderful reason not to be anxious!