By Pastor Don Schatz
Don’t Worry, Be Happy?
You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.
I am a worrier. I try not to be. I don’t like that about myself. But I can worry with the best of them. Not all the time, mind you. It’s not debilitating. Until it is, I suppose. But fortunately, that kind of intense worry is infrequent.
The 1988 song, ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ by Bobby McFerrin, was number 1 on the Billboard top 100 list for 2 weeks. I remember people on talk radio and TV saying, “Wow, this is it. This is wisdom.” It didn’t work for me. I couldn’t just tell myself, ‘Don’t worry, be happy’ and presto, all worry was gone, and I was drifting on clouds of happiness.
“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?” Matthew 5:26 New International Version
God does not leave us alone. He takes care of the birds of the air; he takes care of me; he takes care of you. Now, I like feeding birds, so it turns out one of the ways God takes care of the birds of the air is through me. And perhaps through you.
Jesus understood human nature from the inside out. He got the tendency to worry. He knew what uncertainty was. He didn’t scold us for worrying. He pointed out that we are unbelievably important to God. God loves us with a passion that sent his Son Jesus into the world to provide salvation for us, and restore us to eternity. Jesus didn’t simply say, “Don’t worry.” He said, “you can trust your God.” And he gave examples. The Scriptures are everywhere full of examples of God taking care of his people. The Creation accounts. Adam and Eve. Noah. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Joseph. The enslaved people of Israel. The Prophets. All pointing inexorably to Jesus, Messiah.
God provides you with assurance of his love. He invites you into his arms to find rest. Yes, even rest from worry through trusting him.
Copyright, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
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