Sunday, October 18, 2015

Verse of the Day 10/18

Verse of the Day 10/18

Matthew 6:34  Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Many of us know already that we will have a busy day at work or in family responsibilities tomorrow.  We can spend a good part of this glorious fall weekend with our stomachs tied up in knots over things.  In doing so we will miss out on the not only the beauty but also any kind of peace and rest that we should find on Sunday.

We've spent some time this week thinking about prayer and the roll it plays in our lives.  We are told repeatedly to take our cares and burdens to the Lord.  It is the only way that we can avoid the worrying about tomorrow that is all to common to us.  The preceding verses encourage us that God cares for us more than the birds of the air or the flowers of the field. As you see the beauty in the colors around us let it remind us that God has tomorrow under control, enjoy the beauty and find some rest in Him today.

Towards the beginning of the chapter we have the Lord's Prayer.  Before going into it, Jesus encourages, challenges and reminds His disciples how important prayer is by saying "when you pray" three different times in a few short verses.  It is expected of us and should come naturally to us.  Today, why don't we turn those  burdens over, start with the Lord's prayer and spend some time there.  Then, go out and enjoy the day.  Don't "be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving."  (The Message)
--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Matthew 6:25-34The Message (MSG)

25-26 "If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

27-29 "Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

30-33 "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

34 "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

  

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