Celebrate by Kneeling to Pray

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Philippians 4:4 (MSG)

It’s March, one of my favorite months of the year, as it marks the beginning of NCAA March Madness and the start of softball season. My family celebrates many birthdays this month, as well as it being the birth month of several of my closest friends. Typically, it’s a time marked by so many celebrations. And, interestingly enough, celebrate was the word I chose several months back as my 2020 word of the year. At the time, I wasn’t exactly sure what that word represented or what it would look like as my year played out. But, I can tell you one thing: I didn’t expect it to look like this.

For me, a typical week in March consists of being up early for coffee and heading off to work. After spending a full day treating patients in the clinic, I leave the office and return home briefly, long enough to change my clothes and get up to the high school for the rest of softball practice (or, possibly, to spend the entire evening at the field for games). After eating a late supper, likely consisting of leftover concession stand food, I am home to shower and stay up WAY TOO LATE watching March Madness basketball games. Rinse and repeat for three to four weeks into the beginning of April when March Madness is capped off by the National Championship game as our softball team spends spring break in a fun destination playing games.

Not a surprise to any of you, but none of that is my current reality. And, when I think about how quickly our world has flipped upside down over the last week, it is difficult not to become overwhelmed with sadness, anxiety, and frustration. But, that’s when we must choose to turn to the Word of God instead of our emotions.

In the fourth chapter of Philippians, Paul spends the majority of the chapter speaking words of encouragement and thanking the Lord for all of His great gifts. There are several verses from this chapter that many of us have committed to memory, such as:

1. Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”;

2. Philippians 4: 6, “Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done”; and

3. Philippians 4: 19, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”

These verses are wonderful reminders of God’s sovereignty amidst all the current chaos we are experiencing in our lives.

Because I am human, there’s part of me that wants to wave my hand and dispute these words written by Paul. I can tell you that it’s difficult to look at the current state of our world and believe that I don’t need to worry about anything, that I can do all things through Christ, and that my God will take care of me. But, on the other hand, I am also comforted when I remember that our God is sovereign. Jesus was a fleshly representation of our God, sent to Earth to die for my sins. Because of the truth that Jesus was both fully God AND fully human, I can know, with confidence, that He understands my struggles and my pain. Though he was a perfect being, Jesus still experienced all the same emotions many of us are battling daily right now: fear, anger, frustration, anxiety, and impatience, to name a few. However, when I look to the Word of God, I am comforted in knowing that my Savior sees me and knows my heart. He understands the unrest in my soul right now. And he knows that about you, too.

Referring back to Philippians 4, rather than meditating on several independent verses as scraps of food to get you through a time of poverty (spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and financially), I implore you to take some time to read the chapter in its entirety. As I have spent some time doing this myself, I have come to rely on Paul’s words as a banquet meal of encouragement that provides peace to my soul during these chaotic times.

I love the Bible for many reasons, but today I am reminded that these words are unlike any other written words. They have withstood the test of time and today, some 2000 years later, as it is written in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” When everything seems out of control, and nothing feels certain, I am reminded that we can all stand firmly on the unchanging Word of God.

In response to the chaos, I am often tempted to resort to constantly reading and watching updates in the news, posting on social media, or, my biggest struggle, complaining to friends about the current state of our lives as we deal with this Biblically predicted, yet unprecedented issue in our world. Don’t get me wrong; it’s important that we stay informed and connected in community and reach out to those with whom we can be real and honest. Yet, I am challenging myself, and each of you, to be more diligent in prayer moving forward.

March Madness is usually my focus and source of excitement this time of year, so this past Saturday, I pulled out my Kentucky jersey and wore it all day anyway. As I was puttering around the house doing some cleaning, the Lord spoke to my heart: Katie, you would drop to your knees with excitement and nervousness to cheer on your favorite team during a March Madness run, but will you drop to your knees to praise and worship Me? Whoa. I was convicted. As a die-hard Kentucky fan, when the outcome is always unknown, I have often found myself pacing or on my knees, yelling out as I try to root my team to victory. But, have I done the very same thing for my Lord and Savior who has already given me the promise of victory through Christ’s death on the cross?

This year, instead of March being marked by celebrations of birthdays and basketball games, Jesus is calling us to be still, know that He is God and celebrate that we already have victory, despite the battles that are raging in our world today. As followers of Jesus, we are being called to kneel, pray, and celebrate our Savior, despite our current circumstances, and know that He is working ALL things together for good.