Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  — Philippians 4:4–7

Remember Bobby McFerrin’s catchy song Don’t Worry, Be Happy? It is almost impossible to listen to this ditty without smiling. Every note of that tune, from the bass line to the whistling, was created using nothing but McFerrin’s own voice. It was the first a cappella song ever to reach number one on the charts, and it carried a simple message that people all over the world needed to hear: don’t let worry steal your joy.

Of course, “don’t worry” is easier said than done. Though it might not hurt to try, most of us can’t just sing our anxieties away. But the Apostle Paul gives us something deeper than a happy tune to hold onto. In Philippians 4  he writes: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Where McFerrin offers a melody, Paul offers a practice: prayer. Through prayer, we turn our worries into words shared with the God who loves us. Prayer keeps our hearts open and connected to the Holy. This connection brings peace beyond understanding and  also leads us to a deeper relationship with one another, as we lift each other in gratitude and care.

This Sunday we will live into our next verb to define Sun City Christian Church, which is pray. We’ll explore how prayer sustains our connection to God and one another. Come ready to rejoice, to pray, and sing songs of praise. I look forward to worshipping with you online or in the sanctuary on Sunday. 

Brett