Week 8 Wrap-up

Thanks for the input this week.   I will be the first to admit I am a poor question writer so I hope the question was not confusing.  It was meant to help you focus on this section of the Sermon on the Mount.  Please continue to comment on this section as you feel lead.

I can identify with all the competing “things” that were mentioned this week.  For me, a busy life and the constraints of time lead me to focus on my own selfish needs.  My need to feel rested, refreshed, and the need to protect my exercise time.  I can easily be too focused on the mileage goals I have each week for my running.  That seems silly when I think about it but it can be a source of tension. 

Scott’s point about compartmentalization is well taken.   We all need to set aside specific time to focus on God, to seek His counsel and increase our understanding of his ways, but in reality God does not fit into only those times we set aside for him.  He goes with us although it is convenient for us to consciously or unconsciously separate from him at certain times.  As we grow, mature and become more like Him it becomes harder to separate ourselves from him.

These verses ask the question, “What is obstructing you from a lifetime of effective service for Christ?”  Are you spending your life accumulating earthly “things” or are you focused on following Christ?  Read 1 Cor  3:12-15.  This does not mean we should cast aside the “things” that God has given us to enjoy but put them in proper perspective.   They are gifts from God.  Enjoy them and use them under His direction and for His purposes whenever possible.

The next section has some special meaning for me.  It is hard for us to understand what it means to worry about food, clothing, or shelter but at some point we all have had some anxiety about what “tomorrow may bring.”  From about age 10-15 I can remember some tough financial times and God used these verses to comfort and teach me.  My Dad’s business was slow, heavily in debt, and the bank was threatening to close the business and take our house.  The stress level was high and my parent’s relationship was strained.  We always had food, shelter and clothing but a trip to the grocery store only happened when some money was available.  Occasionally we depended on support from family and friends.  More than anything I worried about my parents during those times.  It was difficult and humbling for them.  I grabbed hold of these verses and it was an opportunity to see how God loved and provided for us.   My instincts are always to “fix” things, or work harder to make things work out but that experience has taught me to depend on Him in times of uncertainty.   

Who do you lean on in times of stress, anxiety, or worry?  Can you trust Him to provide?  Is worry or anxiety limiting your effectiveness for service in the Kindgdom?