What is worry? It could be that uncomfortable pain when tuition is due but the funds are not
available. Sometimes it's the moment when the only working car has just stopped on the freeway. You feel
it when John ran out of money before he could pay all his bills and he asked you to loan him a few dollars.
Worry also shows up when Sally lost her second job in the past nine months and she/can't keep living on the
edge. It gets mixed up with frustration when the last flight to Houston was cancelled and Southwest Airlines
won't pay for the cost of staying in a hotel for one night. Worry shows up when you discover that the
refrigerator broke and all the food has spoiled.
Worry is the look we see in the little girl's eyes when her
mom begs on the corner as we run through the yellow light because we are not ready to put a name on the
face of homelessness. The God of our understanding speaks to our hearts saying, "Do not worry about your
life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear (Matt. 6: 25)." When
life happens, worry is that separation from God's will. However God responds with, "Do not worry."
Worry is a natural human response to life's difficult moments that makes us rely solely on self and
not God for guidance. When I think about Jesus telling humanity not to worry about food, clothing or
tomorrow's concerns, Jesus gets my attention. As I began listing life's challenges, I thought about what a
worry-free life might really look like. Freedom popped into my mind. Imagine Jesus preaching about living
free from worry and Bobby McFerrin's lyrics, from a 1988 movie soundtrack, is playing in the background"don't worry, be happy!" Even though the words of this popular tune connect well with Jesus' directives
from the Sermon on the Mount, is there more to being free from worrying than humming a little snappy tune
from the 80's? As we replace the song "Don't worry, be happy" with scriptural understanding, I invite you
to journey with me through Matthew 6: 25-34 to discover, "What does it take to live worry-free for Jesus?" |
Experience exciting, relevant and thought-provoking "Reflections of the Word" from the perspective of the Christian Calendar. Listen for a word of hope and encouragement that will inspire you to seek God and take action on your spiritual journey. ( What is lectionary?)
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Sermons
from the
library of Pastor King..more> |
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