DO NOT WORRY

May 14, 2018

Rev. Jason Gaskin

Jesus asks us to do something impossible... not to worry. Paul says, "Be anxious for nothing..." Not a few things... not some things... but nothing. These words for many of us are pie in the sky. Some of us may have given up on this journey to a worry-free life a long time ago. Living into a worry-free life is not easy. In fact, Jesus' teachings are not easy... and he never sells them to be easy. THEREFORE... is the first word that begins Jesus' teaching on not worrying. What comes before this passage... might tell us something about a life that isn't consumed by worry. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." The elephant in the room when we think about worry... is who is our master? Who is our Lord? Who is in control? We seek control ourselves when we worry... which typically leads to more stress... and not peace. Worry often is playing out the worst negative outcome in a circumstance that hasn't even happened. We play out the"what ifs" in our minds of what could possibly be. This is where Jesus comes in and invites us to receive him as our master. We receive him as the one who will take care of us. Jesus says we have to strive to receive God's provision. It is in many ways a battle of the mind. Jesus never promises to take away our worry... he says today has enough troubles... but he does promise to free us from the bondage that our worry causes us and to give us peace.