Here we are about 6 months into this strange reality of living in a pandemic. We have become accustomed to much that is unpredictable and uncertain. We have been learning to live with that. This week has seen children returning to school and we are naturally concerned for their safety and well being and for the safety and well being of all those in education settings. We have been advised that a second wave of the Covid virus is a strong possibility and we have heard that the number of new cases is rising in some areas. On several fronts, we are not sure what to expect. It is understandable, in these circumstances, for worries to enter our minds and to trouble us. I have found reassurance in these words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 6:34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”(The Message) Essentially, this is reminding us, “Do not worry about tomorrow.” When we find that worries are pressing in on us, we can choose to take positive action and we can pray that God will help us to deal with whatever hard things come up. Our choice to place things in God’s hands and to look for Him to help us is the best thing we can do. There is a gospel song that affirms this same truth, “I don’t know about tomorrow…but I know Who holds tomorrow and I know Who holds my hand.” Tomorrow, Wednesday September 16th at 1 pm we will enter into our time of PRAYER TOGETHER. We will exchange our worries for the promise of God holding every tomorrow and holding us and bringing us through whatever is to come. Please plan to pray with us!
Trusting Jesus, Pastor Lola
Our Loving God, we keep coming back to You as the One we can trust and depend on no matter what. When we consider all that we have already come through in these past months, we are grateful that You have accompanied us. You have not left us alone at any moment. Thank You for walking with us. Thank You for holding our hands and giving us strength and courage for this journey. We admit that not knowing what to expect on the road ahead could cause us to worry. Sometimes we find ourselves worrying about tomorrow and expecting the worst. We want to remember what Jesus said about giving our entire attention to You and not getting worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. In these moments, our LORD, we are asking You to give us the awareness that every day is a gift from Your hands. You have things to reveal to us in tomorrow and we do not want to miss those things because we are so caught up with worrying. When we worry, we do not highlight Your provision. When we worry, we do not give other people reason to trust You. Forgive us, we pray, for limiting, in our minds, what You can do. Forgive us for not expecting more from You. Forgive us for trying to keep a tight hold on today and tomorrow instead of releasing every day into Your hands. Our God, You are able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” and we want to live with that anticipation. We will continue to place each tomorrow in Your hands. Now, as we consider how worry affects and cripples the faith of other people we know, we bring them and their concerns to you. We ask You to also set them free from the oppression of worry. Thank You that we do not have to pretend to be free. You really can set us free from worry. Please do show us what You are doing right now. Open our eyes to see the ways that You are resolving what needs to be resolved. Inspire us to look for the answers that You can bring for every situation that troubles us. We want to breathe the fresh air of relying on You in any circumstance. We want to appreciate Your consistent care for us and Your ability to know us so well. Thank You God for knowing us and loving us. Thank You for attending to us when worry does take over. Guide us and guide our world to come near to you and to be held by You, even as You want to hold us and our every tomorrow in your mighty hands. Praise You Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! AMEN