worry and trust

Good morning sisters and brothers,
It's been a little while since we read from Luke's Gospel so let's review for a minute. Jesus was invited to a Pharisee's house for dinner, where he took the Pharisees to task for their strict attention to outward practice, while forgetting that a life of faith shapes everything we do. That begins a series of teachings about discipleship and priorities while the crowds grow bigger and bigger. Meanwhile, Jesus' head on confrontation with the Pharisees and religious lawyers leads them to begin plotting his death. Just before today's passage Jesus warned the crowds to guard against selfishness because our love of possessions can distract us from the truly important things in life like doing justice and following God.

Today Jesus complements that warning with encouragement. He encourages us not to worry because God knows what we need already. Worry is pointless, and yet worry and anxiety are two of the most common emotions in our culture today. We feel out of control and we worry about having enough to maintain our life style. We worry about the environment and the economy and the future. This passage invites us to do two things. The first is to consider how we spend our energy, and what our priorities are. God calls us to pursue connection with him, community, justice and love. If most of our energy is directed somewhere else we might be going in the wrong direction. This passage also invites us to trust in God, who will provide for us. That's a word I know I need to hear often, along with Jesus' invitation to seek first the kingdom of God. May God give us the strength to trust him.

God bless,
Sam


Luke 12:22-31
22He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 26If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest?

27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. 30For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.