Philippians: Living for What Really MattersParaugs

A few days ago, we learned that the church in Philippi was literally born out of an outdoor House of Prayer. And that priority of prayer remained an integral part of the church, as we see Paul over and over remembering and advocating for the believers in prayer.

What if our lives were built on a foundation of prayer? When we really stop to think about what that means, we might feel a bit daunted. It’s not that we don’t want to pray or that we don’t think it’s important. We just may struggle to make it a consistent part of our lives. So how did Paul and the Philippians do it? 

Here in Philippians 1:3, Paul says he thanks God every time he thinks about this group of believers. And he uses an interesting word for thanks: eucharisteō.

The Greek word eucharisteō literally means “to give thanks,” “to be grateful, feel thankful.” (Strong's Concordance G2168) And maybe you feel like thankfulness just isn’t compatible with the difficult season you’re in. But remember, when Paul writes this letter to Philippi, he’s in a Roman prison. He’s awaiting trial, and he knows he may lose his life because of his love for Jesus. Even so, Paul praises God, joyfully thanking Him for his friends.

Paul’s joy isn’t just obligatory. In fact, these verses in Philippians resound with exultation.

Wouldn’t you love someone to give you a compliment like that? I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. Paul rejoices in the good work God has done in the lives of these people, and he quickly tells them that “there has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish.”

Arriving at this flourishing finish isn’t a passive thing. God is doing this great work in us, and He has promised to keep at it. But will we keep at it too? Will we learn to appreciate the work in progress, to listen to how He is calling us to grow, to pursue Him in the midst of the in-between? We are all becoming more like Him, and we have the privilege of joining Him in that work.