confessions of a worry-wart

Worry. It creeps and seeps into the corners of my thoughts all the time. I am feeling provided for, thankful and full- thanks be to God! And then... I start to worry. I worry about how we will pay for this, that or the other thing. I worry how this day or that day will go. I worry about how I will get all of this done before that happens. I worry about what I am doing next month or next year. I worry- even thought I know I have a God that is greater than any small worry of mine. I worry even thought I know that my God will provide for me because he promises that he will...

Matthew 6:25-26: "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?"

When Jesus is speaking here in Matthew it almost makes me laugh to read the example he gives. As if Jesus is trying to tell us "This should be a no-brainer, guys. You think God is going to care for birds that do virtually nothing other than look pretty flying in the sky and yet he won't take care of you?? Of course not. As God cares for the birds he will care for you even more because you are so much more valuable than birds! (duh)" Later Jesus also talks about God taking care of the grass of the fields. Point well taken-- if God takes care of the grasses, of course he cares for me. He cares for you.

He goes on to say, in verse 27, "and who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?" Another no-brainer. Worrying is not going to get us further in life. It is not going to help us to live longer and get more accomplished- in fact I think it does quite the opposite. I remember hearing the expression a lot "you are going to worry yourself sick". Because if anything, all worrying will do is make you feel sick and take up so much of your time and energy that you get less accomplished.

In verses 31 and 33 Jesus says, "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." We desperately (okay I shouldn't drag you down with me...) I desperately need to work on not worrying. The reason is clear. God is taking care of me. God. The one who cares for nature, cares so much more for me- and has told me, seek Him. Seek His kingdom. His righteousness. And I will be okay. No need to worry... just seek. Seek Him.

posted by: Tara

who is this??

One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown! He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm."Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples." In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." Luke 8:22-25

I can imagine being one of these men in the boat with Jesus-- looking at my friends saying, "Seriously. Who is this guy? He just speaks and the water obeys him?! I didn't even know water had the ability to obey!" It does. When he speaks.

In John 10:30 Jesus says, "I am the father are one." In John 1:1-2 & 14 we also learn, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning" and, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." That's Jesus... That's the trinity. God, Father, Holy Spirit.

See, this guy Jesus, was able to calm the winds and the raging seas because he is God. He could speak and make the water obey him because he created the water. Let me say that again... He could stop the raging waters by just speaking because he created those waters, by just speaking.

Genesis 1:9-10 tells us about how he spoke and he created the water- "And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good."

God spoke (and Jesus and the father, God, are one- as we read from John 10:30) and. it. was. so.

Who is this? An amazing, amazing God.
In the story about the storm, Jesus asked his very scared disciples "Where is your faith?"
Where is your faith? Are you trusting today in the God who created the seas and calms the storm?

posted by: Tara