Ten Minutes with God
Thursday, August 14th: “Worries of Life”
“As he was scattering the seed…other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the
plants… The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears
the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke
the word, making it unfruitful.” (Matt. 13: 7, 22)
Few
passages are quoted amongst American believers more than that from Matthew
6:25-34. You may recognize this as the “Do Not Worry” passage. Don’t worry
about your life. Don’t worry about what you will eat or drink. Don’t worry
about what to wear. Do not worry about tomorrow…
If I had
not been forced to memorize the Ten Commandments at an early age, I would
probably assume that this one made the list.
If my generation were to “re-write” the Ten Commandments there is little
doubt that it would be at the very top. Most references to this passage are
appropriate. We are definitely a culture of worry. I can do my best not to
“worry” but the mortgage still needs to be paid. I can do my best not to
“worry” but the family still needs to eat. I can do my best not to “worry” but
college loans don’t just disappear after graduation. The list goes on and on.
Consider
our study subjects from Nehemiah Chapter 8:
“Then
Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites
who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord
your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they
listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and
sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is
holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. ”The
Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do
not grieve.”
I
can almost hear the Levites walking around, some whistling, and others singing
the lyrics to Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy!”
The
people have been cut deep by the Word of God. But they are not to worry about
that at the moment, instead, they should celebrate.
This
is the same group that just a couple chapters back were crying out to Nehemiah
because the famine was so severe that there was no food to eat. In order to eat
they had sold everything that they had, and some even sold their children into
slavery. But they are not to worry about the famine, as they have now been told
to enjoy choice food and sweet drinks.
Included
in this group are leaders that had heavily taxed the poor in order to selfishly
receive an even greater wealth for themselves.
This
is the same people that received threats from Sanballat and Tobiah, surrounded
by the entire Army of Samaria. Are they supposed to leave their post and expect
not to be threatened just because the wall is up? Or should they now expect something much
worse?
I
am amazed that this nation could even be sensitive enough to the word of God
that it would penetrate their hearts the way that it did. How did these worries
not “choke the word, making it unfruitful” as we read in Matthew chapter 13?
I
believe the answer to that question is found in the worship of the people. In
their times of worship, the people laid all of their worries aside, and made
God their sole focus. He received all their attention, and their devotion. In
that moment, nothing else mattered. Worshipping God has a way of doing that.
When we truly worship, everything else falls away, and the only thing left
standing is God.
We
should not expect anything less. “But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt.7: 33)
Pastor Jonathan Goble
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