Pastors Pen Reflection

 

  

 Dear *|FName|*
      One of the reading for this week comes from Matthew 6:25-34. The passage reminds us not to worry!  Many people don’t heed the text, instead they worry about all kinds of things. Over the years I’ve learned to take life one day at a time! There is a benefit to having learned this because I can see how little worry accomplishes. I love Corrie Ten Boom’s writing when she writes; "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." I think this notion strengthens Jesus' message that worry lessens our faith.
 
Listen to Matthew 6:25-34.   "Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you - you of little faith? Therefore, do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' 'For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed, your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."
 
I used to spend Thanksgiving with my mother after my father passed away. I would pick her up and bring her to our home and it was a big deal. We would eat as we remembered earlier days. We would laugh, cry, play games and the TV created background noise with parades, football, and the puppy bowl.
 
This year I will be thinking of my friends who lost everything in the “Camp Fire.” I will be holding them in my prayers as they have a place to be but not a home to go back to.  Many in our community worry that they have no meal on Thanksgiving. Others worry that they will be alone on a day that's dedicated to sharing time with family and friends. Others will need to work on Thanksgiving Day and worry about losing a job that is vital to making ends meet. While the premise of Thanksgiving is a beautiful opportunity to pause and give thanks for the bounty in our lives, that pause is indicative of a certain amount of privilege. Rather than abundance, for many the day brings a stark reminder of what they don’t have.
 
Jesus is encouraging us to remember that what God provides goes way beyond food and clothing and that worrying won't get you any closer to the Dominion of God.  When I reflect on this passage I wonder if it is possible that we get distracted from the things that really mater.  God knows our needs and knows how to care for us if we would just put our focus there. Our worry and anxiety indicate a lack of faith implying that our God does not know what we need. God’s promises are made real if we seek God rather than seeking a person, goal, ideal or object. When we seek God the good things in life come.  But it takes faith, honest faith; faith drives out fear. Faith alleviates worry, faith reminds us that with God we have what we need.
 
Let’s make Thanksgiving Day a day to encourage us all to make “giving thanks” an action of our souls; a day when we make giving thanks to God active! That will combat our worries and fears. We can all do something, even if we don't do it well, to give thanks. If we do it consistently then giving thanks will become a habit!
Blessings 
Rev Terri