Try To Relax

Try To Relax

Reading: Zechariah 4-6; Luke 12 29 “What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. 30 People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. 31 Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. 32 Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself. (Luke 12:29-32 MSG) Is it possible that people in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Palestine, in the Roman Empire, in 26 AD, were struggling with the same kind of pressures, stresses, ambitions, and imbalances we deal with in our towns and cities and nations – in our lives – in 2019? Look at what Jesus says:
• Try to relax.
• Don’t be so preoccupied with getting or achieving.
• Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.
• Don’t be afraid of missing out.
• I love you and I will take care of you. It’s the human condition and it’s not going to go away. Lessons learned in one generation must be re-learned by the next. Unfortunately for those of us who happen to be merely human, lessons learned last year often have to be re-learned this year! Two or three times recently, I have been confronted with something that seems very much like the voice of God to me and it sounds very much like, “Try to relax. Don’t be so preoccupied with getting it done. Settle into God-reality, God-initiative, and God-provision. Don’t be afraid of missing out!” “…All this follows as you put your minds to a life of responsive obedience to the voice of your God.” (Zechariah 6:15 MSG) Prayer: Father, Please be patient with me. I am often hard of hearing and slow to respond. Please don’t give up on me – don’t write me off as a bad investment. I want to hear and I want to respond. It’s hard to steep myself in God-reality, God-initiative, and God-provision. Please don’t stop working with me. I really want to get it! Amen.

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