Philippians 4:1-7

Philippians 4:1-7 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Yesterday was April Fools' Day, which meant that we were teased with the idea of the McPickle and other various stunts companies pulled off. In the Jones household, it was celebrated by our children constantly telling my wife that there were spiders around.  She was not amused. 
  The greatest joke of all, however, is the one where the Roman empire killed the Savior of the world, rolled a stone in front of the tomb and thought they were finished with that.  Little did they know, they had tried to kill the One who crafted the mountains from nothing and could vanquish death with a word.  Revelation describes it this way in Chapter 19: His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. 
  The Romans thought they could kill him with their cross, and death thought it could hold him with its tomb.  They were fools to believe such a thing, and Christ triumphed over their power.
  So, too, shall you -- death is but a defeated veil through which you ride, triumphant.  I don't know what keeps you up at night, what you fear and what brings you worry, what makes you break out in a cold sweat.  But I know that Christ has conquered, and that God holds you in the palm of his hand, the same scarred hand that let a nail hold it to a cross out of love.  That hand holds you, and it shall never let you go, no matter what forces rage against you.
  So close your eyes for a moment and breathe in the peace of God.  It passes understanding because it is always just before us, leading us forward, deeper into communion, deeper into life itself, teaching us about God's love and about ourselves.  You are a treasured child of God, and nothing can separate you from the love of God.