Devotions with Pastor John
What to Focus on During a Pandemic
Dear Zion Community,
Here are some thoughts for today. From Matthew 6:25-34. Jesus says to us,
"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.
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 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? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Worry and fear are related. Jesus isn't telling us in these verses that worry or fear are never appropriate. Do you remember in Luke's gospel when he says, "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." It looks to me that Jesus is simply telling us we shouldn't worry about what he considers to be little things. There are bigger things that need our emotional energy - like keeping out of hell. Don't sweat the small stuff, the day to day, God's got that. Keep focused on the eternal.
If you notice, Jesus tells us, these little things are not worth your worry. Instead, be proactive, seek after and focus on eternal things: seek FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness. All these other things, small by comparison to the eternal and infinitely meaningful, God knows you need them and he'll deliver.
So, consider this in light of our current virus lock down. What was the first thing people did? They went out to the stores and bought up all the rice, toilet paper, disinfectant, eggs, ground beef, etc., etc. What am I saying? The little things the non-eternal things, the things Jesus told us we didn't need to worry about because God provides, they were the first things we secured for ourselves. What was of secondary concern? The kingdom of God and his righteousness. We got it backwards.
Some of you will say, "Are you saying that God will magically make toilet paper appear if I have none?" I'm saying that he promised to provide you food, clothing and shelter and everything else you need to live. I'm saying that He daily provides what is necessary for life on our planet. I would also say that when it appears as if He has failed to provide, it is frequently because human sin took what he provided and used it sinfully. Case in point: it is a sin to hoard rice, toilet paper and anything else. Not only does it show a complete lack of faith in God's willingness and ability to provide, it also shows a lack of concern for the needs and concerns of others.
Frequently, God uses the Church, His body, to provide. Christians were known for their generosity. Christians were known for providing for those who had need. In our meetings we would put things into the community chest so that people in the community with need could be provided for. We held all things in common. Maybe we need to have weekly offerings during this crisis that are more than money but also include needed goods. There are many in our community in need of some missing staples.
Could this virus time take us back to our roots? Could our time staying put give us a heart for those in need? Could we recover in this time some of what it means to love both neighbor and enemy?
I believe it's like this: by helping our neighbor with the small things we are showing that we are people focused on bigger things. We don't need more than we can use because God has the daily things taken care of. So, as an act of faith, we are free to give without fear. That allows us to focus on the big things, the eternal things, His kingdom and righteousness.
To avoid worry about the day to day things of life is to give control of the daily to God. Giving up control is hard for us. The easiest way to learn is to trust God in small things and then in larger things as he proves himself faithful.
Right now, we're suddenly in the midst of a pandemic. If you haven't been trusting Him in small things, you're suddenly thrown into the deep end of the pool in order that you should learn how to swim. God wastes no opportunity to show us how able he is to love us and provide for us. Be assured that in the swimming lessons of God He won't let you drown if you don't push away from Him. Maybe we can all learn to trust God more during this present crisis. To learn to trust Him with both small things (the day to day) and the big things (what will happen to us and our eternities).
It's a matter of focus. Will we choose to focus on the kingdom of God or will we choose to focus on the daily things? Whichever we choose will determine how we perceive what is happening around us. The day to day is a small view and has such a narrow focus as to preclude seeing anything else but the wants of the moment. Such a view focuses everything on us and our immediate wants. The eternal is a much bigger view which allows for faith, hope and love to remain and for our focus to be on God and our neighbor.
Thanks for reading. May God bless and keep you. Holdfast, Zion. The time of our deliverance is coming. The Lord is with you.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we cannot fathom the depth of meaning this crisis has for us now. We confess that as a people we have deserved to be visited with a heavy hand. We have worshiped too many gods. We have failed to honor Your name. We have turned deaf ears to Your Word. We have not upheld order and equity among men. We have been unchaste and impure.
Yet we pray You to hear our prayer for the sake of Your Son, our Lord. Have compassion and mercy. Set aside our guilt and give us new life through the merits of Your Son. Bring relief to all who suffer this day. Ease the anxieties of those who are distressed. Send help to those who are distraught. Release us from this fiery trial, that we may be free to give You thanks and glory for deliverance from the day of trouble. Amen.
Lutheran Book of Prayer, 1970.