Do Not Worry
22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well". (Luke 12:22-31)
Jesus knew that people can easily get caught up in worrying about having enough of the essential elements of life; food, clothing, and shelter.
If you are worrying about things, you won't have very much energy to think about God. I think the point Jesus was making is that worry does not change anything. He pointed out that God takes care of all creation. Plants and animals don't have to think about their needs because God supplies food for them and makes them grow. He will take care of you as well because he loves you more than anything else in his creation.
So, don't waste your time worrying about stuff. Don't worry about a future that may not happen. Spend that time and energy trusting in God and growing your faith in God's caring and concern for you. If you Let God be the focus of your life you won't have time to worry. Don't forget that God has things under control.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God."
38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.(Luke 1:26-38)
Even though we recognize Mary as the mother of Jesus, the mother of God, I think we forget how brave she was to take on the magnitude of God's will.
It could not have been easy for her, given the times in which she lived.
She trusted in God unconditionally. She truly was a servant of the Lord.
It was absolutely correct for Mary to have trusted in God, because throughout her trials, especially the birth of Jesus and his death on the cross, God remained with her. She allowed God to be her strength and her comforter. She said "yes" to God and God did not disappoint her.
It is good for us to remember that when we say "yes" to God, the road we travel is not without its share of heartbreak, or sorrow. However, when we walk the road of God's will, God is there to be our strength, our comforter, our savior. We may travel the more difficult road, but our rewards for doing this far outweigh any bad things that may happen along the way.
We must trust God as Mary did, and say "I am the Lord's servant".
Peace and love,
Sue
"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God."
38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.(Luke 1:26-38)
Even though we recognize Mary as the mother of Jesus, the mother of God, I think we forget how brave she was to take on the magnitude of God's will.
It could not have been easy for her, given the times in which she lived.
She trusted in God unconditionally. She truly was a servant of the Lord.
It was absolutely correct for Mary to have trusted in God, because throughout her trials, especially the birth of Jesus and his death on the cross, God remained with her. She allowed God to be her strength and her comforter. She said "yes" to God and God did not disappoint her.
It is good for us to remember that when we say "yes" to God, the road we travel is not without its share of heartbreak, or sorrow. However, when we walk the road of God's will, God is there to be our strength, our comforter, our savior. We may travel the more difficult road, but our rewards for doing this far outweigh any bad things that may happen along the way.
We must trust God as Mary did, and say "I am the Lord's servant".
Peace and love,
Sue
"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Jesus is our compassonate shepherd
36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (Matthew 9:36-38)
It is sometimes difficult for us to appreciate the depth of Jesus' emotions. We experience hurt and pain when others suffer. So did Jesus. But for him, compassion went so much deeper. The Greek word used for compassion in the scriptures, describes powerful feelings from deep within one's inner being. What was it that aroused such feelings in Jesus? Basically it was the tragic spiritual condition of his people. He looked at the crowds following him, he compared them to harassed, helpless sheep without a shepherd. The compassion felt by Jesus lead him to action. He ministered to the people both physically and spiritually.
Doesn't this sound a bit like our generation. In these troubled times, it appears that a great many of us are spiritually bankrupt. Doesn't it seem that we are a bunch of lost sheep looking for a shepherd.
It is time that we slow down our fast paced lives, quiet ourselves and and listen for the voice of our shepherd. Jesus is our shepherd, we just need to learn to recognize his voice calling out to us. He is always there.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)
It is sometimes difficult for us to appreciate the depth of Jesus' emotions. We experience hurt and pain when others suffer. So did Jesus. But for him, compassion went so much deeper. The Greek word used for compassion in the scriptures, describes powerful feelings from deep within one's inner being. What was it that aroused such feelings in Jesus? Basically it was the tragic spiritual condition of his people. He looked at the crowds following him, he compared them to harassed, helpless sheep without a shepherd. The compassion felt by Jesus lead him to action. He ministered to the people both physically and spiritually.
Doesn't this sound a bit like our generation. In these troubled times, it appears that a great many of us are spiritually bankrupt. Doesn't it seem that we are a bunch of lost sheep looking for a shepherd.
It is time that we slow down our fast paced lives, quiet ourselves and and listen for the voice of our shepherd. Jesus is our shepherd, we just need to learn to recognize his voice calling out to us. He is always there.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)
Friday, May 7, 2010
Why do you worry? Why are you afraid?
Jesus asks us two questions: “Why do you worry? . . . Why are you afraid?” (Lk. 12:26 ; Mk. 8:26a)
The answer to the first question of Jesus seems almost trite — “Why do you
worry?” We want to say, “Do you KNOW what’s going on here?!!!” Yet in our hearts we know the truth that Jesus is trying to teach: for all our worry, we can’t add one minute to our lifespan — in fact modern medicine tells us just the opposite: our worry in fact may actually take years of our lifespan. But how do we cope with the temptation to worry? The answer to coping with worry is the answer to Jesus' second question:
We look at Jesus’ second question here: “Why are you afraid?” and we recognize truth: We worry because we’re afraid! We don’t have to be afraid, because Jesus is with us! If Jesus is in our boat, we can survive any storm. That too seems trite, but we can deepen our faith in Jesus’ saving presence by practicing that faith – turning over our worries to Jesus because we believe that he cares, and he can direct everything for our good. We can actually work on deepening our faith in the presence of Jesus with us, even if he’s asleep in the boat.
Jesus keeps asking us: “Why do you worry? Why are you afraid?” because he wants two-way communication with us.
Our worries are like cell phones we carry around but never use. I challenge you today: Every time you start worrying, “turn it over” and make the call to Jesus!
Every time you start stressing over a hectic schedule, a wedding coming up in the family, an obligation you can’t meet, a sense of failure or inadequacy, “turn it over” and make the call to Jesus, who keeps asking: Why do you worry? Why are you afraid?
As we learn to do this, with all the big and little worries that fill our days, we’ll be building communication towers that can link Sunday to Sunday, pulling Sunday faith into Monday worries and Tuesday fears, pulling worship into daily life.
c. We can also develop and deepen our love for Jesus, for as the First
Letter of John reminds us, “Perfect love casts out fear.” The more our love for God grows, the easier it will be to entrust whatever worries us to God. Reading Scripture — even for five minutes a day — can help here. Try spending a month with Isaiah 43 or John 15, or some of the gospel passages. I can almost guarantee that your love for and trust in God and Jesus will deepen.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)
The answer to the first question of Jesus seems almost trite — “Why do you
worry?” We want to say, “Do you KNOW what’s going on here?!!!” Yet in our hearts we know the truth that Jesus is trying to teach: for all our worry, we can’t add one minute to our lifespan — in fact modern medicine tells us just the opposite: our worry in fact may actually take years of our lifespan. But how do we cope with the temptation to worry? The answer to coping with worry is the answer to Jesus' second question:
We look at Jesus’ second question here: “Why are you afraid?” and we recognize truth: We worry because we’re afraid! We don’t have to be afraid, because Jesus is with us! If Jesus is in our boat, we can survive any storm. That too seems trite, but we can deepen our faith in Jesus’ saving presence by practicing that faith – turning over our worries to Jesus because we believe that he cares, and he can direct everything for our good. We can actually work on deepening our faith in the presence of Jesus with us, even if he’s asleep in the boat.
Jesus keeps asking us: “Why do you worry? Why are you afraid?” because he wants two-way communication with us.
Our worries are like cell phones we carry around but never use. I challenge you today: Every time you start worrying, “turn it over” and make the call to Jesus!
Every time you start stressing over a hectic schedule, a wedding coming up in the family, an obligation you can’t meet, a sense of failure or inadequacy, “turn it over” and make the call to Jesus, who keeps asking: Why do you worry? Why are you afraid?
As we learn to do this, with all the big and little worries that fill our days, we’ll be building communication towers that can link Sunday to Sunday, pulling Sunday faith into Monday worries and Tuesday fears, pulling worship into daily life.
c. We can also develop and deepen our love for Jesus, for as the First
Letter of John reminds us, “Perfect love casts out fear.” The more our love for God grows, the easier it will be to entrust whatever worries us to God. Reading Scripture — even for five minutes a day — can help here. Try spending a month with Isaiah 43 or John 15, or some of the gospel passages. I can almost guarantee that your love for and trust in God and Jesus will deepen.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)
Thursday, May 6, 2010
We have nothing to fear, God is with us.
"31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord".(Romans 8:31-39)
If God is at the center of our lives, we have nothing to fear from the outside world. We must know in our hearts that God is always with us and that God loves us unconditionally. However, we need to have faith in God's love in order to move forward on our Christian walk. We must be able to moment by moment surrender our wills and our lives to God and love one another as He loves us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are reminded that we are deeply loved and totally accepted in that love and that we will never be left alone or abandoned. Jesus tells us that we are significant. Love was the main message of Jesus. He loves us unconditionally, just as we are, with no strings attached to that love. God’s love is personal. He knows each of us personally and calls us to join in friendship with him personally. God never gives up on us or abandons us, but continually calls us to a loving relationship with Him.
If we recognize that God is always with us, we have no need to fear.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord".(Romans 8:31-39)
If God is at the center of our lives, we have nothing to fear from the outside world. We must know in our hearts that God is always with us and that God loves us unconditionally. However, we need to have faith in God's love in order to move forward on our Christian walk. We must be able to moment by moment surrender our wills and our lives to God and love one another as He loves us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are reminded that we are deeply loved and totally accepted in that love and that we will never be left alone or abandoned. Jesus tells us that we are significant. Love was the main message of Jesus. He loves us unconditionally, just as we are, with no strings attached to that love. God’s love is personal. He knows each of us personally and calls us to join in friendship with him personally. God never gives up on us or abandons us, but continually calls us to a loving relationship with Him.
If we recognize that God is always with us, we have no need to fear.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)
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