Why worry?

This past week I had the opportunity to make the drive from Chattanooga to Nashville.  It's a beautiful drive anytime, but this time of year is particularly wonderful as the forests lining the interstate explode with vibrant oranges, reds, yellows, greens, and everything in between.   

As I was driving, I had this week's scripture passage from Matthew 6:25-34 in mind.  Jesus tells his disciples not to worry about what they will eat, or what they will drink, or what they will wear and goes on to offer up the birds of the air and the lilies of the field as prime examples of beauty that has been provided by God.  I'd like to think that if Jesus had lived in middle Tennessee, he would have mentioned the fall foliage as well.  There's beauty all around us, and not just when the leaves change color, and yet so often we miss that beauty because our hearts and minds are focused on things that aren't so beautiful.  We stress over what outfit to wear, or that exam coming up next week, or how our actions will look to the people around us.  Jesus invites us to let go of worry and to place our primary focus on the kingdom of God and God's righteousness.

I've heard people use this passage to paint Jesus as somebody who was out of touch with the realities of those who are hungry, thirsty, or naked.  I don't see that.  I hear Jesus speaking directly to those people.  He offers words of hope for being fed and clothed.  I think Jesus knew that, as human beings, we sometimes focus on the negative aspects of life and fail to take notice of the positive things.  He seemed to know that a mindset of scarcity will consume a person if they worry too much.  Jesus calls us to view the world through the lens of abundance, offering those birds and lilies as examples of God's abundant provision.  Are we to sit idly by and wait for food to appear?  I don't think so, but to spend our days worrying about food is not faithful. 

This week in worship we'll explore the difference between giving something attention and worrying about it.  How would you desribe the difference?

In what areas of your life do you see abundance?

In what areas of your life do you see scarcity?

What examples would you use to illustrate God's abundant provision?

As you go through your week, may you see the beauty of God all around you.

Prayer Resources

At worship last night, I encouraged everyone to spend more time in private prayer.  Here are some online resources that might be helpful as you attempt to find a rhythm for engaging in conversation with God.

d365 A Daily online devotional: www.d365.org/todaysdevotion/

Daily Office-Daily scripture readings and prayers: www.dailyoffice.org

Divine Office-Traditional Bible readings, prayers, and hymns: www.divineoffice.org (There's also a Divine Office podcast that provides audio of daily prayer)

Common Prayer for Ordinary Radicals-A book used by Shane Claiborne and his community of faith: http://www.amazon.com/Common-Prayer-Pocket-Ordinary-Radicals/dp/031033506X (this is a book you can order on Amazon.  It provides daily prayer and suggested scripture readings)

The Upper Room-A daily devotional reading found in many church parlors: http://devotional.upperroom.org/

Presbyterian Church USA Mission Yearbook-Daily readings about congregations, presbyteries, and missions of our denomination, complete with prayer and suggested scripture reading from the daily lectionary: http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionyearbook/

Finally, the PCUSA has announced that they will soon release a Daily Prayer app for iPhone.  When it becomes available, I'll put the link on the psfnahsville website and facebook page.

Book of Common Worship: bookoforder.info/Book-of-Common-Worship.pdf (this will initiate a download of the entire Book of Common Worship)

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Prayer...for God's sake

At various times in my life, I've played on church softball teams.  I've always enjoyed such activities.  It allowed me to get to know church folks in a different context.  People seem more willing to be themselves when they aren't dressed for church, and people feel less incline to talk about churchy stuff.  At the end of each game, the teams would trot out onto the field, circle up, and pray.  When it came time to pray, everybody would look at the sky, kick the dirt in the infield, and inevitably someone would say, "Hey, Alan, you're a minister, why don't you offer up the prayer?"  I'll be honest and say that sometimes I didn't feel like praying.  I'm a competitive person, and if we had just lost a lead or been unable to mount a comeback, my honest deep-down-in-my-heart prayer was for my enemies to be smited.  If we had won the game, I was probably feeling smug and not in the most reverent place either.  Regardless, as I read the passage for this week about not practicing your religion in front of other people, I decided Jesus would not be a fan of the public prayer at the end of softball games.

While we shouldn't exactly be shocked anymore, Jesus' advice about prayer seems to stand in opposition to some of the most hallowed traditions of religious practice in churches all over the world.  After all, isn't the pastor supposed to offer eloquent prayers in worship so that everyone can grow closer to God through those words?  Aren't the youth who volunteer to pray at youth group granted special status?  

And what about all that secretive giving Jesus advocates?  How am I supposed to see my name in the program at the symphony or in my alma mater's newsletter if I don't submit my full name on the donation form?  Just how are churches supposed to raise funds for that new hymnal if we don't agree to put stickers with donor names on the inside cover?

To be sure, we are called to gather with other believers for corporate (meaning communal) worship, and I don't think Jesus would be disappointed in those of us who include The Great Thanksgiving in our communion liturgies.  However, maybe Jesus' challenge to make prayer and worship a daily practice in the privacy of one's home and one's heart is made so that we might not be distracted by some need to "get it right" in front of others.  In the template for prayer that Jesus offers, the focus is entirely on God.  May our prayer life reflect that focus.

Matthew 6:1-15

6 “Be careful that you don’t practice your religion in front of people to draw their attention. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

² “Whenever you give to the poor, don’t blow your trumpet as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they may get praise from people. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. ³ But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing ⁴ so that you may give to the poor in secret. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.

Showy prayer

⁵ “When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners so that people will see them. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. ⁶ But when you pray, go to your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.

Proper prayer

⁷ “When you pray, don’t pour out a flood of empty words, as the Gentiles do. They think that by saying many words they’ll be heard. ⁸ Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask. ⁹ Pray like this: 

Our Father who is in heaven, 

uphold the holiness of your name. 

¹⁰ Bring in your kingdom 

so that your will is done on earth as it’s done in heaven. 

¹¹ Give us the bread we need for today. 

¹² Forgive us for the ways we have wronged you, 

just as we also forgive those who have wronged us. 

¹³ And don’t lead us into temptation, 

but rescue us from the evil one. 

¹⁴ “If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you don’t forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your sins.