Tuesday November 1, 2022

Today is Tuesday, November 1st, and this week we are studying the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter six.

I enter prayer now, I pause to be still; to quiet my mind, and to focus on the presence of God.

Pause and Pray

Here I am, God. I am ready to spend time with you as I meditate on your word. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. Amen.

I praise the Lord with the words of Psalm eight.

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:3-9

Pause and Pray

In the beginning, God gave order to creation, putting man in the Garden of Eden to work it, care for it, and eat from it. (Gen. 2:15) Then man introduced brokenness to the world when he chose to disobey God’s intended order by disobeying his rules. As a consequence, man would have to endure “painful toil” to eat food from the earth for the rest of his life. (Genesis 3:17) The world God gave us has been tainted by sin because of Adam and Eve, yet God still lovingly chose to clothe them. (Genesis 3:21) God still provides for our needs, but now we must work for them. The work of providing basic care for ourselves and our household requires a certain level of concern and planning, but God did not intend for us to be anxious about it. Any worry beyond providing basic care is a form of serving money, things of this world, instead of God. In the passage today, Jesus reinforces his teaching about submitting ourselves to God by having us examine where we place our trust. He asks the listeners if they are willing to trust in God’s careful order for his world.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:25-27

I take a moment to name the basic things God has given me – where my last meal come from, how many items of food have been in my pantry or freezer for more than a week, where the clothes I’m wearing came from, and how many days could I go without washing my clothes and still have something to wear. God has provided abundantly and proven his faithfulness over and over in my life. I know that he cares for me even though I am broken just like the rest of the world. Yet I’m still anxious. My actions show that I don’t fully trust that God’s created order is good. I lose sight of the present day’s blessings when I am worried about tomorrow.

Ask: What have I been anxious about recently? What about it is in my control? Do I truly trust God with the rest, or do I worry more than I pray about it?

Pause and Pray

Heavenly Father, thank you for caring for me in more ways than I even realize. I praise you as the Creator of all things. You love me and provide for your creation. In this moment I release my worries to you, God; even the ones I did not name. You know me better than I know myself. Help me to place my trust in you. Forgive me for trying to control more than I’m meant to instead of fully trusting you. I reread the words from Matthew and seek your message for me today.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:25-27

Ask: What image, word, or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Jesus was speaking to a crowd of people in Israel thousands of years ago, but he also is speaking directly to me in this very moment. He wants me to hear these words as an invitation to trust him, find comfort in him, and examine my heart.

Pause and Pray

Holy Spirit, guide me in my current circumstances. Turn my heart from the ways of the world. I want to know and trust God deeply. Speak to me in a way I need to hear as I continue my day today. Amen.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

I leave this time of prayer releasing my worries and holding on to Jesus.

Amen