Ordinary Time

Pause

In the Lord I'll be ever thankful,
In the Lord I will rejoice!
Look to God, do not be afraid.
Lift up your voices, the Lord is near,
Lift up your voices, the Lord is near.

from Communaute de Taizé

Listen

“Therefore, I say to you, don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, what you’ll wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds in the sky. They don’t sow seed or harvest grain or gather crops into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than they are? Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life?"

Matthew 6:25-27

Think

As a pastor, a perk of my job is I have the chance to have deep conversations with people in all phases of life – including the end of life. When reflecting on the life lived, people have been grateful for families, for meaningful work, for God and God’s goodness. I have never ever heard someone say, “I wish I had worried more.”

Jesus reminds us that worrying is a waste of the time God’s gifted us. Worry does not add a moment to our lives. In fact, there is increasing evidence that worry does nothing but take – our peace of mind, our hope, and if it is severe enough, our health.

Jesus assures us we are meant for greater things than a life of worrying. Jesus warns us against worrying about even the essentials – food and clothing. Instead, Jesus encourages us to turn over all our worries to God. Trusting that God will provide, we can focus more fully on God – and sharing God’s love with others.

Michelle Terry

Pray

Loving God, you have knit together a beautiful creation and provided for even the birds in the air. Help me to trust you in everything so that my life can be lived for your glory – and not consumed by worry. Amen.

Go

Sing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:16b-17