Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Today’s Reading  |  Luke 12:22–31
He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, 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, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. (NRSV)

Reflection
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life . . .”

But I am worried things aren’t going to go well at all, and I’m definitely worried I won’t complete this devotion in time—in fact it is already late. It’s also likely people won’t like it or, even worse, not pay attention at all.

Since this is running behind, the rest of the endless list of things I need to get done also will not be finished when they’re supposed to. Everything will affect the next like dominos, and even worse, I’m positive it will continue to knock the next and the next over until the very last one falls.

So now I’ll be staying up until the wee hours of the night and waking up early to play catch-up. That will definitely affect when I can do the laundry and get down to the dry cleaners to pick up my shirts for work. More than that: I’m definitely out of cleaned work shirts already.

And it looks like a storm. I’m sure I’ll get soaked walking home; catch pneumonia. Or something worse—there’s always something worse.

There’s definitely always something worse.

“. . . for God knows what you need. These things will be given to you.”

Prayer
Lord, your words console me and your power can always supersede any and all of life’s minor worries. Help me always to not waste away the time you have given me with miniscule thoughts, so that I may focus more on the path you have set and the mission with which I am charged. Amen.

Written by Ryan Loeckel, Coordinator for Worship, Music, and Adult Education

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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