As I write this, my mind is swirling with thoughts. I'll probably get them sorted out after a little more guidance from God, but at this point I'll just leave you with a couple of seemingly disjointed thoughts.
First, from Matthew 6,:25-34:
“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? 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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Those are the words of Christ, Jesus, as He taught on the side of a hill to the folks who gathered to hear His wisdom. I pray we can all truly hear them today as we all navigate these troubled times in our world.
If our hope is in God, if our trust is in God, there is no need for worry. I've personally experienced God working in my own life in a way that is truly miraculous, and I've seen Him work in the lives of those around me likewise.
I've also seen lives affected in a negative way because people, even some people who claim to believe in Christ, choose to reject this simple truth and cling to worry. Fear, and anxiety, created through that worry, have dragged them away from the blessings of our merciful God's grace.
I encourage you this morning to cling to God's grace, adjust your focus so that you are dwelling on God's goodness and His love that endures forever instead of worrying about the attacks of our enemy and the events of the world.
Next, take encouragement from the word of God given through His prophet Isaiah (54:17) "...no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord."
In following Christ, there's no guarantee that weapons won't be formed against us, in fact if we're bold in our faith we're very likely to have weapons wielded against us. But God's promise is that if we maintain our faith, and continue to adjust our focus back to The Lord, who endures forever, those attacks will not affect the glory of His eternal promise.
Father, as I face this new day, help me maintain an eternal focus. Remind me that my lungs are filled with Your breath, tell me once again who I am to You, remind me that You will provide for me according to Your riches, and that I need not fear. Give me strength to turn away from the derision and division that are so prevalent in the world in which I exist. Remind me that my citizenship is not of this world, but of heaven, and help me remain eager in my anticipation of a Savior from there. Amen.
First, from Matthew 6,:25-34:
“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? 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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Those are the words of Christ, Jesus, as He taught on the side of a hill to the folks who gathered to hear His wisdom. I pray we can all truly hear them today as we all navigate these troubled times in our world.
If our hope is in God, if our trust is in God, there is no need for worry. I've personally experienced God working in my own life in a way that is truly miraculous, and I've seen Him work in the lives of those around me likewise.
I've also seen lives affected in a negative way because people, even some people who claim to believe in Christ, choose to reject this simple truth and cling to worry. Fear, and anxiety, created through that worry, have dragged them away from the blessings of our merciful God's grace.
I encourage you this morning to cling to God's grace, adjust your focus so that you are dwelling on God's goodness and His love that endures forever instead of worrying about the attacks of our enemy and the events of the world.
Next, take encouragement from the word of God given through His prophet Isaiah (54:17) "...no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord."
In following Christ, there's no guarantee that weapons won't be formed against us, in fact if we're bold in our faith we're very likely to have weapons wielded against us. But God's promise is that if we maintain our faith, and continue to adjust our focus back to The Lord, who endures forever, those attacks will not affect the glory of His eternal promise.
Father, as I face this new day, help me maintain an eternal focus. Remind me that my lungs are filled with Your breath, tell me once again who I am to You, remind me that You will provide for me according to Your riches, and that I need not fear. Give me strength to turn away from the derision and division that are so prevalent in the world in which I exist. Remind me that my citizenship is not of this world, but of heaven, and help me remain eager in my anticipation of a Savior from there. Amen.
