5-9-2014

      Good Morning All,

        Matthew 6:34; ““Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

     Most of us tend to worry about tomorrow.  We worry about the grades we get in school.  We worry about how to pay for school, will we get a job after school, what about a spouse and a family; we worry a lot.  Then the worries really begin; now that we have a family that is depending on us.  Will my job be there tomorrow?  Will the farm give us enough to live on?  Will my children live long and happy lives?  All this worry can cause stress in our lives and even have physical effects on us.  So how do we deal with stress?

    One of the factors of stress in our lives is that we often add to it by overwhelming our self with extraneous commitments.  These extra pressures can really add to our worries and our fears.  So we need to really pay close attention to our commitments.  Are they really important and necessary or are they window dressings for the neighbors?  Do they build our relationship with God and our family or do they distract from them?

    The next part of our stress is our belief that our life can be divided into two parts.  We think we live in a secular world or that we live in a sacred world.  We think that we can separate our faith from our everyday life and it just doesn’t work.  This causes us to see that there are portions of our life that God is not a part of.  We think that there are areas where God either doesn’t care or, maybe, doesn’t need to know about.

    The real danger is that too often, when doing the calculations of our life; we leave God out of the formula.  Too often, we plan our future, looking for what we believe to be the best for us then worry when it doesn’t seem to go that way.  Yet God tells us, repeatedly, that he will care for us.  He “has plans to prosper us”, He “cares for you”, He “provides our daily bread” and many other verses tells us that we are his children and that he provides for our needs.  Often times, our worries begin where our “needs” end and our “wants” take over.  It is when we are content with what God provides that many of our worries end.

    So don’t be anxious about tomorrow.  God will provide for our needs.  The “wants” may have to wait but our needs will be met.  So don’t be anxious about tomorrow; trust God’s promise to you.  Trust in his amazing love to carry you through the trials of today.  Trust in his grace to give you those things which are needed today.  God has made this bold promise to you so don’t be anxious about tomorrow; live in God’s mercy today.

Father, all is in your hands.  Give me the strength to hold onto this truth.  Give me the wisdom to know that your love will never fail me.  Give me the power to follow where you lead.  Be with those who are especially anxious this day.  Give them peace that their hearts may find rest.  Guard them with your Spirit and bring them home.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret