Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Airport Adventures

It's spring break and I finally get to see my family for the first time in 2 and a half months. I don't know about any of you but flying home to see your loved ones after it has been a while is one of the most exhilarating and humbling feelings in the world. This day has already been quite stressful, as I couldn't make a flight that the company said I would be able to get on. Luckily, the Lord provided me a seat on another plane that was originally booked! Meanwhile, I've had about 4 hours of people watching and bible reading time and of course God teaches me something new yet again, even in the midst of my worrying. 

As I was eating breakfast this morning I began to pick up where I left off reading Matthew 7: 25-33. If you aren't familiar with this passage I suggest you read it because it is completely applicable to our lives as humans. This is what is says: 

25 “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?26 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? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 3For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Take a deep breathe and let that soak in. As soon as I read that passage this morning I felt completely stupid. I just spent all this time getting frustrated and annoyed because I couldn't get what I wanted, how completely selfish. If I would have been on that 9:05 flight I would have been home earlier, yes. But this is what I needed to hear and understand. In verse 26 Jesus tells us to look at the birds. Even thought the value of the birds isn't high and they don't do anything of major significance, God provides for their needs. So why is it that we don't think that God will take care us? Do we really find ourselves of as little worth as the birds in the sky? The Lord says we shouldn't! He tells us throughout the Bible what our worth is, yet we constantly battle with that everyday. We go on worrying about every little things that is going to happen today, tomorrow and ten years from now. I, myself spend way too much time focusing on the future plans He has for me rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to work through me in the moment. I'm guilty and know that I need to do a better job of not worrying about tomorrow, because today has enough trouble! 

The final verse of this passage also speaks volumes to me because this is how we should be living our lives as Christians. Instead of worrying everyday about our time schedule, calendar and list of things to do we should be seeking righteousness and bringing everyday glory to God. He knows what we need to survive and he promises to provide for us. It may not always be in the way we want but our way doesn't matter. It should be God's way or no way. Easier said then done right? You nor I will ever be perfect but we give the best effort in giving our worries to him. God's got our backs, all the time. Amen? As I sit in the airport pondering this I am smiling, because this is exactly what Jesus wanted to teach me today.

In Christ,
Taler