Yikes! Brrr... - July 30, 2009

Good Thursday morning! I do believe that a low in the mid-40's is enough to give a person a real autumn wake up call! However, today is July 30. It may not be a record low for July, but this morning did cause more than a few folks to jump out of bed and shut windows. I could hear them up and down the street; sort of an "Aiieee!" sound followed by "schiick, slam!" Yes, most of us are not sleeping in flannel nightgowns and fuzzy winter sheets right now, but a morning like this does make one think about it. Will we see polar bears in the landfill this winter? Does Nebraska have caribou permits ready? Are sled dogs expensive to maintain? We need to know these things, winter is coming! :-)

Many people are more likely to worry over something unusual in the weather than where their soul and body will spend eternity. This is another of those preoccupations with the flesh that we tend to have. Alone among God's creations, we have the ability to ponder eternity. Yet, many of our fellow humans ignore what comes after this life. My cats know the now of their condition. They do not store up food for the winter, nor do they even plan for going outside. Their lot is concerned with now. "Let me out", "I want in!", "I'm hungry!" are their most pressing concerns. God takes care of them and they don't worry about tomorrow. We can worry about tomorrow, but Jesus tells us not to do this.

The other day I was thinking how we tend to fantasize about winning a big lottery jackpot or some other big money windfall. We think that would set us financially and many of our worries about tomorrow would be gone for good. The interesting thing is not in winning something like that, but that God tells us to live without those worries in the first place. You and I imagine what living without financial
worry would be like and look to some earthly thing like the lottery; God tells us to live like that by looking to him! That doesn't mean that we run out and spend money like a lottery winner; that money just ain't in our bank accounts. But we are to live without the fears and worries about tomorrow that tend to make us depressed and anxious.

Yes, it will take some coaching from the Holy Spirit before I can get up each morning without thinking worries into my head. Have a great and wonderful day in Christ Jesus!

Bucky