Over the last few weeks I have been surfing the web reading various articles. Same oh, same oh! Coronavirus cases rises, defund police, mass shooting, swimmer found dead, Black Lives Matter, tear this down, tear that down. So much pain nothing seems to be “breaking news” anymore.
Then the anxiety of many parents, educators, lawmakers, public officials pondering on when kids should go back to school. Will it be safe? Will the federal government provide enough PPE, will masks be a requirement or a recommendation, will children go full days, hybrid, or do virtual. All the decisions, thoughts, advise, consideration, etc. could leave one feeling overwhelmed.
Today I reach out to the children, the parents, the grandparents, the caregiver, the doctor, the lawyer, the bus driver, the nurse, the blue, black, green, white or purple boy or girl, man or woman.
The Bible tells us in the 6th chapter of Matthew, 25th through the 34th verse that we should not worry. Some may say, “it’s easier said than done.” Look at verses 30 through 32.
“Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will Hs not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
Matthew 6:30-32
If we believe God’s word to be true then why do we worry about how this is going to get paid or how we are going to get from this place to that place. If we believe that God is a God who cannot lie then why don’t we take His word at face value? If we read God will supply all of our needs then why fret? Food is a need, not a want. Clothing is a need, not a want. Water is a must have, not a luxury item. So if we know this and we know what is essential verses non-essential, why do we worry?
If God has promised to take care of our essentials then why do we worry? Same question but think of the bigger picture. God knows all about COVID-19. He knows when and how it will be safe for our kids to go back to school. Because we know this then why do we worry? Why are we loosing sleep on whether our children will do virtual schooling or the phased in approach? Why do we question their safety when we know who they belong to? Yes they may be our babies but they are God’s children. We are just stewards to them while on earth but ultimately God is their father and His word said He will never leave us nor forsake us.
You see I’m preaching to the choir. I admit when this pandemic started I was worried. My youngest baby has asthma and I was terrified to let him go out of the house because I didn’t want to risk anything- though I still don’t allow him to go many places I am more relaxed now because God has given me peace.
So often we seek man for advice but we don’t ask for the expertise of God. He has control and power to change water in to wine yet we put our trust in man who can’t nothing but themselves. We put so much time and energy into their opinions or into this news that we loose sight of who God is. Where is your faith?
As children of God we have a responsibility- our responsibilities vary from person to person but ultimately our main responsibility is to seek ye first the kingdom of God.
The secret of a happy life is to delight in duty. When duty becomes delight, then burdens become blessings.
Warren Wiersbe
We must delight in our duty to serve God. We must delight in our duties to serve others. We must delight in the work of God’s kingdom and spreading the Good News.
When our focus is on God and glorifying His Holy name we forget about the things out of our control. Because our faith is planted and our trust in Him is so solid we don’t worry about where we live, what we eat, or what we will drink.
Did you know that your life is not your own? We are who we are because of God. We belong to Him. We were created to worship Him.
Even writing this I think of how silly I can be in worrying about things from time to time out of my control. Because I realized I have little to no control but over my decisions and choices my stress level has tremendously decreased. I’m not worrying about what’s going go happen when school lets back in because I know whom my kids belong to. I know that God protects them in their comings and goings just as He protects you and I.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-29
This morning I encourage you to not fret but to find rest in our Heavenly Father. This morning I encourage you to cast all your cares upon Him, for and cares for you.
It’s time to “leave it at the alter” and walk away. Stop picking back up what God has already taken from you. Stop worrying about your child who is out in the world, God’s got them. Stop worrying about your drunken husband who spend more time in the strip club then at your house, God’s going to work on him and bring him home. Stop worrying about whether you want Liptons or Suzanne and just thank God for providing you with something to drink.
It’s time to stop fretting and work on our relationship with God. It’s time to stop blaming Trump or the Chinese. It’s time to cover them in prayer and grace. Today’s task is to complete a self inventory: examine your stress. Is your stress level superseding your trust in God? Only you can answer that. If your answer is yes; you know the answer now it’s time to “do your homework.”
You get extra credit for taking the time to praise God. Amen somebody!
Amen. Matthews 6:25-32 is one of favorite scriptures. Yes events of the day can be overwhelming but we have to rest in Jesus. His thoughts are higher than ours and His ways are wise. 🙌🏾💯
Amen and amen!
Amen!!
It’s funny how I missed seeing certain motivational texts from you because now pertaining to this is fast forward X 5 months….and this is so relevant right now. We now have 3 difference vaccinations for this COVID-19 and all 3 have had side effects and now some are nervous about next week’s vaccinations on the 7th. They have from 9AM to 4 PM to receive the vaccinations. I mean, I even had this supervisor state her opinion about so called Christians believing in God so where does it say in the Bible to take a vaccination. Another supervisor told her God gave us common sense to take care of out bodies so she is for the vaccinations and that God put people down here on Earth to heal us….There conversation was quite interesting. I mean they were talking about the Lord which made me happy. They looked at me and asked me am I going to take the vaccination. I told them that I have to pray about it first then I will make my decision. I told them I pray Psalms 91 over myself and my kids daily. Of course She asked what is that. I told her It’s a prayer of protection. She kind of rolled her eyes; however it made me excited to show her in the Bible where it is. I told her the pestilence is the corona virus plus read the Psalms 91:
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
She just looked at me and rolled her big eyes again, but smiled. That made me feel good. She said that the whole world need to be doing this don’t you think. I said that if the whole world believed in Jesus Christ and repented; Jesus would come and take us all home. In concluding I believe in a sense, the Supervisor was really trying to say…why are you all worried about anything. If you are a Christian, then you shouldn’t be worried about a thing because God has you covered. Now this supervisor believes in God, she said she may not have the best relationship with him; but she do talk to him. I told her to do the same thing when it comes to the vaccinations next week, pray about it and God will answer you.
Great story! That was wisdom to share Psalm 91; I pray she will forward and pass along this blessing as well.
She is right! If we believe in God then why do we have fear? Why are we worried? God is BIGGER than COVID-19 new and old strain!!!!
Thank you for sharing this story. Food for thought.