10-26-2018

Good Morning All,

       Luke 12:22; “And Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.”

    “How am I supposed to do that?”  That was a question asked by a woman after a Bible Study one day.  I worry about my kids and grandkids; I worry about what kind of world they will live in; I worry about my mom as she ages; am I wrong?  “What about the verses where we are told to show compassion for others; isn’t that a form of worry?”  All good thoughts.  How do we, as God’s redeemed children, balance her thoughts?  If we look at the word used for “anxious”, we might be able to discern what Jesus is saying.  

    The word used here literally means “to go to pieces”; in other words, to fall apart.  As Christians, since we have Jesus, we do not have to go to pieces when something happens.  We have God’s promise to protect and defend us.  We are safe; so, let’s look at it this way.  We are not to be anxious but we are to be concerned.  Anxiety causes us to freeze and not respond.  Concern moves us to action.  If I am concerned about a member of my church, I call them, text them, email or go visit them.  In other words, I do something.  This is compassion; it motivates us to action.  Anxiety paralyzes us into inaction.  Anxiety is to worry about things beyond our control and thus out of our sphere of influence or action.

    We want to remember that when we use the proper definitions of scriptural language; it always calls for an active response.  To “Hear” or “listen” means to listen to His Word and then respond as He desires.  To “believe” means to live our life in accordance with the statement of faith we just made not just say so many words.  Compassion or concern should cause you to act.  Anxiety is the devil’s way of causing us to doubt God.  What kind of world will our children and grandchildren have?  A world where a loving God still provides for his children.  We need to see that worrying about what we cannot control or influence is to show a lack of faith that God has already provided for that event.

    We are concerned about our children so we talk to them and care for them and nurture them as God would have us do.  The greatest gift we can give our children is the gift of a nurtured faith; a faith that looks to God for all that we need.  We are concerned about the hungry and the homeless so we donate, as best we can, to help in these situations.  It doesn’t do any good if we sit here and worry that someone, somewhere might be hungry, rather we need to focus where we can help and then help. 

    Don’t be anxious; it does no good.  Rather be concerned and have compassion and then respond as God enables you.  Pray for all, speak to and for those who are in need and try to help in any way you can.

Father, guard my heart that I may not be anxious.  Rather move me to see the things that I can do and the things that I can change.  Use my hands, voice, and treasures to bring glory to your name and comfort to my neighbor.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret