Nicholas King Lectio Divina 5

Open up Philippians 4.5–6 in the new Nicholas King translation and look at Paul’s instruction to rejoice at all times. Dig deeper than ever into these words and find out how you can ‘rejoice at all times’.

Philippians 4.4–8

(From The Bible translated by Nicholas King)

Rejoice at all times in the Lord; again I shall say [it]: rejoice! Let your decency be known to all people. The Lord is near: don’t be anxious about anything, but in all your prayer and intercession, with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God which is beyond all imagining will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

For the rest, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is righteous, whatever is holy, whatever is agreeable, whatever is attractive, anything that is virtue or praise – think of these things.

Reading

Paul is writing from prison in Rome to a group of Christians in Philippi, a Greek city under Roman rule. It is a happy letter, majoring on encouragement rather than correction.

Read this passage through at a relaxed pace and feel the warmth in Paul’s tone. Take note of any words that strike you as especially important or relevant.

Meditation

Think more deeply about the words you particularly noticed. Why do they resonate with you? What might God be saying to you in this?

What are the opposites of the qualities Paul tells his readers to think about? How does it make you feel if you dwell on the negatives rather than the positives? Which do you find easier to focus on?

Prayer

Speak and listen to God about the attitudes and actions that Paul recommends in this passage, whether you find them easy or difficult to practise.

Spend some time in intercession, doing as Paul says: ‘with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God’.

Contemplation

Remain for a while in a prayerful attitude, relaxing with thoughts of ‘anything that is virtue or praise’. As you leave your prayer time, take Paul’s words with you into your daily life: ‘Rejoice at all times in the Lord.’

You can buy and download an audio track featuring the whole letter to the Philippians.