Matthew 6:27-34
“Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
For most of my life, I’ve kept “to-do” lists. These range from lists of things I hope to accomplish each day to long-term goals…like “scan and organize all of our photos,” and maybe “write another book.” I have “mental lists” of things I need to get done…people I owe a visit…books I would like to read, and more. I used to really beat myself up when things did not get marked off the “short list” as planned. I would get so frustrated and upset with myself when I got behind and projects stacked up undone. And I will admit, sometimes I still get a little bent out of shape when I see things that need to be accomplished…and I am not getting to them in a timely fashion.
But then I look at what IS getting done…a family who is nurtured…friends and loved ones who are encouraged…little things that fill my days and don’t seem to amount to much – but add up to a whole lot of “something!” I see that God is giving me opportunities every day to live – not just muddle through the day. I bought “vampire teeth” for the kids for Halloween with every intention of making this cute donut “face” that I saw on Pinterest. But I got busy with helping in the classroom and attending the kids’ parties at school. So they got a set of the teeth and no donut - and they could not have cared less!
I won’t say that I am “settling”…because I think as I become less uptight about whether the house is spotless and things are “just so,” I experience more of God’s abundance in many ways. I know that life is short, and our chances to spend time with one another and truly live in the moment – and bask in God’s goodness – are fleeting. We will blink, and our babies will be grown…we will be “over the hill!”…and a whole other generation will have left for heaven! What will we have to show for our lives? Will we have spent them worrying about tomorrow and all of the things on our lists? Or will we have steeped ourselves in the things of God…His desires for how we fill our days…and the blessings that He has poured out on each of us? You know what the right answers to these questions are…so what will you do about them?
Ask God to help you revamp your priorities. Give HIM first place on your “to-do” list and let Him order the rest of the items. Recognize God’s presence in even the little things of the day…and learn to truly appreciate all of His blessings. Stop worrying so much…and start living a whole lot more! I know I’m working on all of these things…what about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
“Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
For most of my life, I’ve kept “to-do” lists. These range from lists of things I hope to accomplish each day to long-term goals…like “scan and organize all of our photos,” and maybe “write another book.” I have “mental lists” of things I need to get done…people I owe a visit…books I would like to read, and more. I used to really beat myself up when things did not get marked off the “short list” as planned. I would get so frustrated and upset with myself when I got behind and projects stacked up undone. And I will admit, sometimes I still get a little bent out of shape when I see things that need to be accomplished…and I am not getting to them in a timely fashion.
But then I look at what IS getting done…a family who is nurtured…friends and loved ones who are encouraged…little things that fill my days and don’t seem to amount to much – but add up to a whole lot of “something!” I see that God is giving me opportunities every day to live – not just muddle through the day. I bought “vampire teeth” for the kids for Halloween with every intention of making this cute donut “face” that I saw on Pinterest. But I got busy with helping in the classroom and attending the kids’ parties at school. So they got a set of the teeth and no donut - and they could not have cared less!
I won’t say that I am “settling”…because I think as I become less uptight about whether the house is spotless and things are “just so,” I experience more of God’s abundance in many ways. I know that life is short, and our chances to spend time with one another and truly live in the moment – and bask in God’s goodness – are fleeting. We will blink, and our babies will be grown…we will be “over the hill!”…and a whole other generation will have left for heaven! What will we have to show for our lives? Will we have spent them worrying about tomorrow and all of the things on our lists? Or will we have steeped ourselves in the things of God…His desires for how we fill our days…and the blessings that He has poured out on each of us? You know what the right answers to these questions are…so what will you do about them?
Ask God to help you revamp your priorities. Give HIM first place on your “to-do” list and let Him order the rest of the items. Recognize God’s presence in even the little things of the day…and learn to truly appreciate all of His blessings. Stop worrying so much…and start living a whole lot more! I know I’m working on all of these things…what about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
