don't worry about your life

Matthew 6: 25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[?

28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Aaron Barth - could there be a more extra-ordinary man?! Highly intelligent (seemingly LOL), a really good athlete, compassionate, deeply connected to God, & an incredible mischief-maker!

He inadvertantly & unknowingly spoke into my life at the beginning of 2008. He came to staff prayer one Friday & was telling us how he'd been studying what we call the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). He said he'd been reading the section I have printed above & noticed that you don;t have to read the whole section if you just center in on the opening words - "don't worry about your life."

God used that conversation incredibly these past 11 months. That's one of the 4 verses God gave me for this year. And there's been hundreds of times God has reminded me of those 5 simple words as I've walked through the many surrenders & commitments that I've faced as I've turned my heart toward ministering in downtown Macon. Over & over again, God has whispered, "don't worry about your life" when I was saying something to the effect, "but God, if I..."

"don't worry about your life"

"but, what if..."

"don't worry about your life"

"but how will I..."

"don't worry about your life"

"but..."

"don't worry..."

And slowly, slowly, slowly, I've started to not worry - if God's leading me into something, then it's His responsibility to make it happen - I just have to obey.

It's kinda like when the children of Israel first entered the Promised Land. God told Joshua to send the priests into the Jordan River carrying the Ark of the Covenant, telling Joshua that the river (which was in flood stage) would part for them to cross.

The water didn't start to part until the priests stepped into the water.

Sometimes, we have to wade into the water before our miracle starts to happen.

That's kinda how I feel about downtown. I have to "get my feet wet" - iow, I have to take steps forward into what I believe God is leading me, & as I do, He will start to work His power, guidance, & miracles.

Are you standing on the edge of a River Jordan in your life, feeling like God is saying, "go on in - don't worry about your life - I've gotcha covered" ?

I've been taking small steps into my River Jordan called downtown, & I see the water beginning to part.

If God is telling you to step into the water, do it. He'll take care of you.

"don't worry about your life"