Day 9, Friday, Book of Prayer – Lenten Journey
The author says, “Rather than worry about what we will eat or drink or put on, Jesus suggests that we trust God for all that.” Because of what the author suggested on Day 1 in this devotional, that the words in this prayer are not friendly advice but are words of command spoken to people who have been chosen to follow Jesus, I think the author is being a bit inconsistent. In this prayer Jesus is commanding us to trust God for all this. Now, of course, that does not mean we lay on our couches just waiting for the goods to arrive. That is more like testing God rather than trusting God. The point is that Jesus wants our anxieties to cease. These anxieties cripple us from being engaged in God’s mission in the world. They fill us with unnecessary pain, and ultimately cause us to wonder about God’s sovereignty. This anxiety leads to wonder whether God is able to provide enough, and if so, whether God really cares. Anxiety is destructive stuff in so many ways, therefore Jesus commands us to pray, “Thy kingdom come.”
You may have noticed the bumper sticker on my truck. It says, “Fearful people do stupid things.” After I bought it I debated long and hard as to whether or not I should put it on my truck. Then one day I became overly aware of the stupid things I did because of fear and anxiety. I decided I needed to be reminded at least as often as I drive my truck that I do stupid things when I’m consumed by fear. After today’s reading I hope I will pray, “Thy kingdom come,” when I see that bumper sticker. “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) This is wonderful tonic for us in an age filled with anxiety.
This day’s study was a bit difficult for me. It discusses fair balance, and the one who had much not having too much and the one having little not having too little. Are we to create a utopia where everything we have is shared with everyone else? I have a hard time dealing with that concept. I’ve worked and saved a long time to have what my husband and I have. I give freely to causes and to the church but what about those in America who don’t have homes, who go hungry, and have one pair of shoes. What am I to do about them? Am I to feel quilty because I have a home, obviously I eat well, and if you know me at all, you know I have lots and lots of shoes!! This is a disturbing study – it makes me examine what I’m doing, what I’m giving. It makes me so very thankful for all that God has blessed me/us with. But in the end I question what it is I should be doing – how much is enough!! Am I doing too little?
Karen,
As with each of the marks of dicipleship, we will never arrive. There will never come a point when we can sit back in satisfaction and think/say that we have done enough. There is always a growing edge. We do what we can. We do what we feel called to do to the best of our ability, but always knowing there is room for growth. I believe this lack of satisfaction keeps us at the feet of Jesus, grateful for his grace, and strengthened for further growth.
Thank you for sharing your struggles with this. I know you have lots of company, fellow disciples, feeling much the same way that you do, including me.
“When we pray ‘your kingdom come’, we pray that God would bring about equity and fairness and dignity and richness of life for everyone. And we pray that we would not take more than enough of what God provides until everyone has enough.”
“I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you,……. As it is written, ‘The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.”
Day 9 pg. 41
Sometimes my thoughts get so “big” I can’t wrap my little brain around them – but I’m going to try, anyway. : ) Certainly as Pastor says, life is a process. Whether it be our physical life or our spiritual life – it is ongoing for all our days.
For me the very last line from the quote above really sums up the point. I see it not as being expected to give ALL that we have, but where there is enough, we give to those who have none. In material things we will never all be equal; but dignity, respect, care, love, God’s grace and God’s love – these are the “things’ that should be shared until “everyone has enough”. Then we would truly have God’s kingdom on earth.
For me, if I have more than enough, I would share “pair or two” so that my neighbor may have more. But it’s not the shoes that I’m sharing so much as it is to me the respect and dignity I might afford this person in recognizing his/her needs being as my own. I, too, have my “treasures” and when I see I have more than enough and my neighbor has none, it is then that I have the opportunity to work on that “balance”.
“God gives us the kingdom; we must strive for it.” I believe it is there for us; God told us so. And I believe He works through us when we share the grace He has given us. As we “strive” with and for one another to enter His kingdom together.
I ponder and wonder over some of the reading material. For me The Lord’s Prayer is pretty straightforward in what it says. We need only to listen to the words……………..