“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you
will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life
more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of
the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than
they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6:25-27
Sometimes you need to read a verse and imagine Jesus sitting on a hillside speaking directly to you. That’s exactly what He’s doing, through scripture. Yes, Jesus was speaking to these around Him, in that moment, but His words were recorded for us. I feel strongly that these snippets of sermons, moments recorded on parchment, sometimes discovered only as fragments, other times carefully preserved, were God refining the metal of scripture to be what He wants to gift those of us in later years who did not have the benefit of sitting on a hill listening to Jesus in person. In many ways we get the better end of the deal. I enjoy Patriot’s games far more on TV (with instant replay and the fireplace going) than at Gillette Stadium, watching little ants play football.
Jesus’ message to me above is simple and loving: Dude, relax, I got this. You’ll be fine. Some days I believe Him. Other days I’m bouncing from one worry or deadline to another. Weaving between concerns and responsibilities for my family, job and church, bills coming due, repairs needing done, bills coming due for repairs needing done, looking for ticks, reading the news and social media…. It piles up. I see the shift in myself, the looking away from the Creator of the universe and to my own hands.
Jesus uses birds as a deliberate example. What is it about watching nature that’s so relaxing? Whenever I get among God’s creation I feel a calm peace (as long as I tuck my pants into my socks because, well, ticks…). We see birds finding food, trees thriving from rain and sun, beauty everywhere, even where there’s decay. Jesus says if God provides for plants and animals, we’ll be taken care of. Being among nature is a reminder of all this. He asks if someone can add even one day to their life by worrying. The answer is, obviously, no.
Lately I’ve let myself worry. Stress moves us to the next needed task but when it gets out of control it becomes a weight on our shoulders, and we stop trusting. God will care for us, answer our prayers and fill our needs. All we need to do is dig those ditches, and watch Him fill them with rain. (2 Kings 3:16)
We need to sit with Jesus on the hillside and listen as He reminds us
how important we are to Him. That’s why we have verses like Matthew 6,
and so many more. We speak to each other, and God, mostly through words.
God speaks to us through His word. Read what He is saying, and remember
they are spoken to us, reminding us who is in charge, and why we should
relax and let Him be the caring God He is.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for sitting me down every day and talking to me, reminding me not to worry, showing me, little by little, word by word, how to trust you more.
Sometimes you need to read a verse and imagine Jesus sitting on a hillside speaking directly to you. That’s exactly what He’s doing, through scripture. Yes, Jesus was speaking to these around Him, in that moment, but His words were recorded for us. I feel strongly that these snippets of sermons, moments recorded on parchment, sometimes discovered only as fragments, other times carefully preserved, were God refining the metal of scripture to be what He wants to gift those of us in later years who did not have the benefit of sitting on a hill listening to Jesus in person. In many ways we get the better end of the deal. I enjoy Patriot’s games far more on TV (with instant replay and the fireplace going) than at Gillette Stadium, watching little ants play football.
Jesus’ message to me above is simple and loving: Dude, relax, I got this. You’ll be fine. Some days I believe Him. Other days I’m bouncing from one worry or deadline to another. Weaving between concerns and responsibilities for my family, job and church, bills coming due, repairs needing done, bills coming due for repairs needing done, looking for ticks, reading the news and social media…. It piles up. I see the shift in myself, the looking away from the Creator of the universe and to my own hands.
Jesus uses birds as a deliberate example. What is it about watching nature that’s so relaxing? Whenever I get among God’s creation I feel a calm peace (as long as I tuck my pants into my socks because, well, ticks…). We see birds finding food, trees thriving from rain and sun, beauty everywhere, even where there’s decay. Jesus says if God provides for plants and animals, we’ll be taken care of. Being among nature is a reminder of all this. He asks if someone can add even one day to their life by worrying. The answer is, obviously, no.
Lately I’ve let myself worry. Stress moves us to the next needed task but when it gets out of control it becomes a weight on our shoulders, and we stop trusting. God will care for us, answer our prayers and fill our needs. All we need to do is dig those ditches, and watch Him fill them with rain. (2 Kings 3:16)
We need to sit with Jesus on the hillside and listen as He reminds us
how important we are to Him. That’s why we have verses like Matthew 6,
and so many more. We speak to each other, and God, mostly through words.
God speaks to us through His word. Read what He is saying, and remember
they are spoken to us, reminding us who is in charge, and why we should
relax and let Him be the caring God He is.Prayer
Lord, thank you for sitting me down every day and talking to me, reminding me not to worry, showing me, little by little, word by word, how to trust you more.
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