Matthew 6:25-34
In the Message translation of verse 29 it says, "What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so that you can respond to God's giving." What a powerful image, to trade out thoughts on getting to giving. The irony is that we would all agree that getting more stuff does not make our lives better. Yet, we are so indoctrinated with "getting" in our culture, that we keep acquiring without even thinking through our actions. So I had a thought, what if I tried to go a period of time without buying anything except food or gas? Maybe during lent I gave up buying? My first thought was of the stuff I need to buy before lent begins.....I think I need to ask for God's help in this.
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I love this passage. The first time I read it was earlier this semester-I was in the midst of an eating disorder and battling depressive thoughts. I felt like I was running out of time and that I was behind as far as school and career choice went. God spoke to me then and He is speaking to me again, now. I see the passage differently now. Before it was preoccupation with my own image and how food and clothing would affect that, now I am considering more the fact that other people worry not about what food or what clothing, but if food or if clothing will be there. I truly believe that God will provide-He will provide me with a future that glorifies Him. I think that through me and many others, He will provide food, clothing, and shelters. He is not calling us to sit back and expect it to fall from the sky (at least in my opinion), He is calling us to action. So often I do get focused on myself and my problems, though. I agree with Ken, I know that stuff will not make me happier, I've learned now that physical appearance will not make me happier either, yet I am always looking for things and possessions and thinking about what I "need." In order to really make our lives better I think we have to look inside ourselves, see what God sees in us. That is what I am trying to do-find how God has made me special, and what talents He has given me to help others.
ReplyDeleteWow! I had never read this passage in the Message! How profound, especially for someone like me who is the president of the "shoppers of the world"! This passage touched me so much that I copied it and pasted it to one of "sticky widgets" that are on my computer desktop everytime I open it. As my response, I'm going to do what Ken suggested and go for awhile without buying anything but necessities. It's rather ironic (as things often are when listening for God's word) that this thought about stopping buying began in my mind yesterday - before I read this passage. Surely God is telling me something!
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