Good Monday morning! Winter is back, but the big storm is now down south apparently. Last week we were warned of the potential for 10-18 inches of snow, this week the expected total is far less. All that preparation, all that anticipation may be for nothing. However, my formula for storm preparation is still good. Here it goes: 1. Keep informed, know what storms are forecast in the weather and in any other areas of life. 2. Bring the expected storms to God in prayer, trusting in Him. 3. Prepare as best I can. 4. Trust in God. Today we find out the storm will probably miss us. Bang, all that prayer, prep, and trusting has worked! Is that it? No, now we pray for those still in the storm's path. We don't think only of me or us, we think of those who may yet face the snow and winds of a blizzard on the plains.
We can worry about a lot of things in this life, but many of the storms will miss each of us. You can worry about cancer, but that storm may not hit you. You can worry about your house burning down. This used to happen much more than it does now, but it does still happen. However, chances are good that this particular storm will miss you. Any of us can worry about floods, tornadoes, hurricanes (unlikely where we live), blizzards, ax murderers, quacking ducks, and all manner of other potential storms in life. Jesus told us to avoid worry. You can worry, sometimes we do, and some of us even worry too much. Jesus said to not worry. We are not obeying the command of Christ when we worry.
Worry is not caution. Caution keeps a fire extinguisher or two around the house, installs smoke alarms, and keeps the house free of bad habits like throwing oily rags in a pile under the stairs or smoking in bed. Worry lays awake at night imagining the dreadful event that may not arrive. Caution keeps a little money around the house in case there is no power to the ATM. Caution might even install a backup generator to the house. But worry paces the hallway saying "Oh no! Oh no!" Anxiety is taking a loan of worry from tomorrow and paying fear on it today. You would rightly be called crazy if you went into a bank, took out a loan of Monopoly money, and paid 50 percent interest in real money back to them each month until you were done playing with the "loan". That sounds absolutely nuts, but that is what anxiety does when the worry piles up on your head or my head instead of each of us giving that worry to Jesus.
God sees all, and that includes the future. We cannot see past now. So which of us should hold onto the worries about tomorrow? If we listen carefully, we might just hear God going through all of those worries we give him at 3 in the morning. "You don't need this one; that isn't going to happen. Ha, ha, where did you come up with that? No, throw that worry out right now! Hmm, what's this? Yes, that one would make for a good trial of your faith, but let me worry about that when the time comes." Instead, each of us tends to hold onto the worries, even letting them pile up into an ominous mass that chokes off our light. Take up your Bible, read the last three chapters of Revelation. God wins! This is one time that it is good to read the last three chapters first. God wins and the saints live joyously ever after; now read the rest of the Bible and see how to be among the saints.
Happy Monday to you!
Bucky
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