“Think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.” Philippians 4:8
When I’d hear this verse in the past, it would be coupled with a devotional about not looking at pornography or not listening to music with swear words. Sometimes at the end of the lesson, we’d be invited to throw our CDs into the campfire, renewing our efforts to be “good little disciples.”
Lunca Camp in Romania - August 2016
While those lessons were certainly applicable (and in true ‘90s fashion, a little dramatic), it became too easy to treat that verse as a ticking off of boxes.
Do I look at porn?
Do I listen to heathen music?
Do I watch R-rated movies? Etc.
The problem was I could go through the whole list without once thinking of God.
We’ve taken a verse about centering our attention on what is good, praiseworthy, right, pure, or beautiful, and reversed it to focus on not doing what is bad, worthy of rebuke, wrong, impure, or ugly.
When we make Christianity about not doing bad things, the more bad things become our focal point. And if following Jesus depends on our ability to resist sin, we will fail every time. We must fix our eyes on Jesus.
Yesterday, I read this verse in a devotional with my son. It was all about flamingos and how what they consume turns them pink. In the same way, what we consume becomes who we are, our identity. However, instead of making a list of what we should cut out of our lives, Azar and I made a list of what we could add. I was desperate to be filled with goodness, truth, and beauty.
You see, as we sat in our living room discussing the book, the light outside was yellow from a smokey haze. Ash was falling from the sky, covering our lawn and car like snow. Just a few miles away forest fires continued to rage, consuming everything in their path. Trees, plants, animals, homes, churches, and businesses were being threatened and some were already lost.
Photo by Orville Myers, Pastor of Valley Bible Fellowship of Cachagua, CA - August 2020
Everywhere I looked there were signs of distress. Social media was ablaze with more bad news. There were weather reports about winds picking up and new fires starting. There were photos of houses being destroyed, of exhausted firemen and hopeless evacuees.
Photo by Orville Myers, Pastor of Valley Bible Fellowship of Cachagua, CA - August 2020
The harder I tried to not think about the fires, the more I thought about the fires. My heart pounded as I choked on the smoke seeping through my windows and doors. It felt like the ash and fiery smog were pressing in on me, crushing me. I could feel the panic rising, licking at my mind like fire, threatening to burn me too.
Photo by David Halterman, from Lime Creek near Esalen, CA - August 2020
Photo by Orville Myers, Pastor of Valley Bible Fellowship in Cachagua, CA - August 2020
Like a pink flamingo, I had consumed fear and therefore was flaming pink with anxiety.
But Philippians 4 reminded me to focus on what, or rather WHO, was good, praiseworthy, true, honorable, right, pure, and beautiful. Azar and I prayed, in the face of our frightening circumstances, that God would fill us with MORE of Himself and His word:
God, You are good and worthy of praise. “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” Psalm 145:9
Your word is true! “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.” Psalm 119:160
We love You and those You’ve made in Your image. Give us courage to do what is honorable and right. Help us to serve those in need. “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-38
You are pure, beautiful, and worthy of respect. We praise You no matter how we feel, no matter our circumstances, because You are Immanuel, God with Us. You give us courage and strength to help others and to live a life of joy and thankfulness. “So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline… And regardless of what else you put on, wear love… Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other… And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives… And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.” Colossians 3:12-17
Like cool water, God’s words snuffed out the tension burning within me, and peace flooded my heart.
“Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew…” Deuteronomy 32:2
What consumes your mind?
Is it a list of don’ts?
Are you worried about the forest fires?
Are you fearful of the coronavirus?
Are you anxious about the upcoming elections?
God says if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14) And if we ask Him to fill us with more of Himself, He will light up our life with peace, joy, goodness, and beauty.
Photo by Orville Myers, Pastor of Valley Bible Fellowship of Cachagua, CA - August 2020
Even more, when we fix our thoughts on Christ and His Truth, we can bravely face the flames of this world because we are fighting fire with Fire.
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29