No Worries

Matthew 6:24-34

Good News Translation (GNT)

²⁴ “You cannot be a slave of two masters; you will hate one and love the other; you will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

²⁵ “This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn't life worth more than food? And isn't the body worth more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren't you worth much more than birds? ²⁷ Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?

²⁸ “And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves. ²⁹ But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. ³⁰ It is God who clothes the wild grass—grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won't he be all the more sure to clothe you? What little faith you have!

³¹ “So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?’ ³² (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. ³³ Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. ³⁴ So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.

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It’s impossible to live in the Lord and live of the world. You will always compromise one for the other. I like most people am a worrier. I worry about the things I can not control. I worry about the future. Apparently I have been dabbling in pagan activities. I have to always remember to Trust in him. Our all knowing loving father tells us to “Don’t worry, and  Be happy”.

This scripture passage brings me back to a discussion my 6 year old wanted to have about original sin. He wondered why Adam and Eve were naked, and then they were clothed. He described to me how they had everything and threw it all away because they wanted something they were forbidden to have. I explained to him how Eve ate the fruit and gave some to Adam, and they were given understanding and realized they were naked. My son smiles and tells me it all makes sense to him now. Animals don’t wear clothes because they don’t know they are naked.

God provides for us whether we know it or not. He blesses us with gifts, talents, and children. Depend on him, and he will help you.

 

The Sower

Mark 4:1-20

Good News Translation (GNT)

4 Again Jesus began to teach beside Lake Galilee. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it. The boat was out in the water, and the crowd stood on the shore at the water's edge. ² He used parables to teach them many things, saying to them:

³ “Listen! Once there was a man who went out to sow grain. ⁴ As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some of it fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The seeds soon sprouted, because the soil wasn't deep. ⁶ Then, when the sun came up, it burned the young plants; and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up. ⁷ Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up and choked the plants, and they didn't bear grain. ⁸ But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants sprouted, grew, and bore grain: some had thirty grains, others sixty, and others one hundred.”

⁹ And Jesus concluded, “Listen, then, if you have ears!”

¹⁰ When Jesus was alone, some of those who had heard him came to him with the twelve disciples and asked him to explain the parables. ¹¹ “You have been given the secret of the Kingdom of God,” Jesus answered. “But the others, who are on the outside, hear all things by means of parables, ¹² so that,

‘They may look and look,
    yet not see;
they may listen and listen,
    yet not understand.
For if they did, they would turn to God,
    and he would forgive them.’”

¹³ Then Jesus asked them, “Don't you understand this parable? How, then, will you ever understand any parable? ¹⁴ The sower sows God's message. ¹⁵ Some people are like the seeds that fall along the path; as soon as they hear the message, Satan comes and takes it away. ¹⁶ Other people are like the seeds that fall on rocky ground. As soon as they hear the message, they receive it gladly. ¹⁷ But it does not sink deep into them, and they don't last long. So when trouble or persecution comes because of the message, they give up at once. ¹⁸ Other people are like the seeds sown among the thorn bushes. These are the ones who hear the message, ¹⁹ but the worries about this life, the love for riches, and all other kinds of desires crowd in and choke the message, and they don't bear fruit. ²⁰ But other people are like seeds sown in good soil. They hear the message, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.”

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The parable of the Sower shows us the difficulties in Evangelization and what we are to expect as we sow the good news to people. We have 4 different scenarios; Seed falls along the path, rocky ground, thorn bush, and good soil.  On my journey through my renewal I am the seed in every scenario. I heard the word, but did not see or understand. I’ve heard the word, received it gladly, but when challenged in my faith I gave up. I’ve heard the word and tried to live in the lord and of the world at the same time. This is obviously impossible because you will have to compromise one for the other. It wasn’t until I was at my lowest; I was backed into a corner and sought the Lord my savior that a Sower threw me in to the rich soil. God has a plan for each and every one of us. We just need to listen, receive his word, and do his will.