‘Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere’ (Erma Bobeck)
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When I was a teenager and a young adult, I remember that I was constantly worrying. Did I have enough fuel to get where I was going, as the gauge in my car was not working? Did I do enough at work to earn what as necessary for the home and family?
Worry, worry, worry!
And what did it get me?
Angst and sleepless nights, that was all.
Even when I became a Christian it did not stop, I had anxiety issues, and could not shake them.
One night I could not handle it anymore, and I went to see my minister. As soon as I entered his house, I broke down, and blurted out all my problems; he and his wife sat me down, and in the good old English fashion, got me a cup of tea.
Tea I thought, my life is falling apart and you offer me tea!
But, just as when someone is having a panic attack you ask them questions to distract them and get them talking and breathing normally (hopefully), the offer of tea was to divert my attention from my melt-down.
They asked questions and listened to my answers.
Then they pointed me to a passage in the Bible, in the gospel of Matthew;
‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life’ (Matthew 6:25 NIV).
That may seem a little simple to some of you, but that resonated with me, and has been pivotal in everything since.
As the words of the hymn state;
‘I have decided to follow Jesus’ (attr. To S. Sundar Singh – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_Decided_to_Follow_Jesus#:~:text=An%20alternative%20tradition%20attributes%20the,region%20where%20the%20text%20originated. – accessed 17/07/20)
We are called to follow Jesus, and he did not worry, he faced every challenge square-on.
After forty days in the wilderness, the devil came to tempt Jesus, but, when he was tempted, did he worry? He did not fret, because Jesus decided that the best answer to temptation is to quote scripture;
‘It is written: ”Man shall not live on bread alone”’ (Matthew 4:4 NIV, and also further quotes in 4:7 and 4:10).
When he was about to be arrested, whilst praying he asked God his Father to take the suffering away from him, but he did not want to disobey his Father;
‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt’ (Matthew 26:39 RSV – emphasis mine).
So even when the whole world seemed to be turning upside down, and going against him, Jesus trusted his dad.
It is said that worry will only get you grey hair, wrinkles, or an ulcer.
But, not worrying frees you up to become all that God wants you to be.
There is a plan for all of us, if we just trust Jesus;
‘I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for’ (Jeremiah 29:11 GNB).
If we trust God, he will not let us down, the plan is there for everyone, even those who choose not to believe or follow Jesus, there is still a plan for their lives.
This is not like getting a piece of furniture from Ikea, with no instructions to follow. We have a book filled with instructions on how to live within and in community with everyone else.
The Bible is our handbook, filled with instruction and teaching, we just have to read and absorb the content!
And we are not alone in all of this, because Jesus is always with us;
‘I will never leave you; I will never abandon you’ (Hebrews 13:5 GNB).
So we do not have to do this alone. There will be times, and I have had many of these moments, when God seems distant, and, or I cannot hear the words of Jesus, it is as if I was in a soundproof room alone, but even then we have our church community to rely on, to spur us into action, to help us and pray for us, to pick us up when we fall.
Christians should never ever be truly alone.
But, when we open the handbook we have, and most of us carry can it with us all the time, for it is also digital, and in aps to put on our smart-phones, we find teaching that can help us;
‘I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathway for your life. I will advise you along the way’ (Psalm 32:8 Passion Translation).
If we are prepared to study our handbook, and we should want to do this, then we can learn many things about what God wants for us, for he is not a distant God;
‘My frame was not hidden from you… when I was woven together. Your eyes saw my unformed body’ (Psalm 139:15 & 16 NIV).
So, the words of a song originally sung by the Troggs (October 1967 – written by Reg Presley) and covered by Wet, wet, wet, (Four Weddings and a Funeral – Rank Film Distributers – 1994) spring to mind;
‘Love is all around us’
And that is exactly how it is, love is all around us, because God is everywhere, and God is love, so literally, we are surrounded by the love of God.
I read something once, I do not know how true it is, but it said that the Bible in one way or other, says, ‘do not fear’ 365 times.
If it is true, and I like to think it is, there has to be a reason that there are 365 day in a year, and the Bible says do not worry 365 times.
In the words of Jesus;
‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness’ (Matthew 6:25 & 33 NIV).
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I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back, no turning back!
The world behind me, the cross before me
The world behind me, the cross before me
The world behind me, the cross before me
No turning back, no turning back!
Though none go with me, still I will follow
Though none go with me, still I will follow
Though none go with me, still I will follow
No turning back, no turning back!
Oh take the whole world but give me Jesus
Oh take the whole world but give me Jesus
Oh take the whole world but give me Jesus
No turning back, no turning back!
We have decided to follow Jesus
We have decided to follow Jesus
We have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back, no turning back!
I Have Decided To Follow Jesus
Attr. To S. Sundar Singh (1888 – 1971)
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Lord, thank you that Jesus came to show us how to live. Lord we really need you in our lives to teach us what we should do. Lord help us to study your word The Bible and absorb your teachings so that our life can be fuller and freer in our love. Lord we live you.
Amen
Bobbles Stuff 