The Lord is at Hand

“Let your moderation be known to all men; the Lord is at hand.” (Philippians 4:5)

I have a friend who always reads the last chapter first when she starts a new thriller.  “Takes the anxiety out of reading,” she claims. So with us: If we know the end of the story, we can be centers of peace in the midst of utter chaos, calm in the face of disaster. 

Paul calls that attitude, “moderation”—a term that’s difficult to translate into English, but one that implies an easy-going demeanor. It refers to the calm and deliberate strength with which we meet the disquieting circumstances of our days. Kingdoms may fall, friends and spouses may falter, churches may fold, the wrong party may win the next election, the globe may warm up, the oceans may rise and cities may crumble into the sea, but we can be at peace.

And how do we maintain such composure? By remembering that, “the Lord is at hand. At any moment our Lord may burst through the door and turn everything right side up. Then this world and all its troubles will become the kingdom of our Lord, and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of His glory as the waters cover the sea. 

Jesus said it could happen very soon! Today could be the day! It’s the very last thing he said, in the very last chapter of the Bible (Revelation 22:20). Last words, as they say, are lasting words.  

There’s an old saying: “If you can keep your head when others are losing theirs, you don’t understand the situation.” There’s another saying that’s equally true: “If you can keep your head when others are losing theirs, you do understand the situation.” You’ve read the last chapter in the book!

David Roper

4.24.19