In Matthew 6, Jesus offers a series of poetic
instructions on how to live the good life, the life
along the Way (the Way was how the early church
referred to themselves as followers of Jesus…who is
the Way…) After giving his disciples what we
call “the Lord’s Prayer”, Jesus goes on to say:
“forgive your neighbor,” “don’t let others see you
fasting,” “don’t store up treasures on earth,” “no
one can serve both God and wealth,” and so on.
Jesus quits preaching and goes to meddlin’. “Do not
worry about your life—what you will eat or drink—or
about your body—what you will wear,” he says, “is
not life more than these things? Can you add to your
life by worrying? Why do it?”
Which is easy for Jesus to say (or so we think!),
but the question remains: What ought we do?
As I called the first person who has taken me up on
my invitation to lunch/supper/coffee, we both
exclaimed how we couldn’t believe we are almost ½
way through January. Though time is flying, the new
beginning hasn’t escaped us entirely. Which is good
because if 2016 hasn’t started out the way we would
like, there is still plenty of time to turn things
around.
Good Great news for me because I already see some of
my resolutions fading away into the young year.
Which has caused me to worry a bit: am I enough? Am
I really capable of doing these goals? Was I a
little too ambitious about hiking Mt. Everest? I’m
so great at worrying!
Though we, as a community of faith, may be tempted
to worry about what may lie in store, asking
questions like, “Will we continue to be a thriving,
growing, healthy congregation?” “Will we become
sensitive to what God is doing among and through
us?,” Will we have the resources to continue to do
ministry the way we sense ourselves called to do
it?”, we have been give another option. One that
lessens the stresses of worrying.
What are you worrying about right now?
What is distracting you at this very moment?
Name it.
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Say it out loud.
Then,
Relax.
Rather than worrying, questioning, fretting, and
fearing what if we listened again to Jesus?
“See first the Kingdom of God and God’s
righteousness, and all these things will be given to
you as well.” (verse 33)
Now, may I please ask a favor of you?
Reflect deeply on ways you want to “seek
first the Kingdom of God” in your life in the
coming year, as a child of God and as a part of our
community-of-faith.
Write down your thoughts. If you
desire (I certainly do!), let me know how I can be
in prayer for you as you give up everything
but this: seeking first the reign of God.
What will become of us?
Do not be afraid….
[Adam Quine of First Presbyterian Church in
Lincoln]
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