Daily Devotion – July 30, 2020

Today is an important one for school districts and families in Minnesota – the day they hear what guidance and direction will come from the governor regarding the opening of schools in September.  Distance learning only? In-person classrooms? A hybrid model?  There is no good solution to the dilemma of schools opening, and Covid-19 has turned what normally would be a highly anticipated time of year into a vortex of anxiety and uncertainty. Many parents I’ve talked to are filled with worries about all the possible scenarios, and wonder how they will manage. There is not a one of us who has not been impacted by the pandemic, but today my heart is with the worries of parents with children.

What do we do with all that worry? Along with all the pronouncements of angels in scripture, “Do not be afraid”, Jesus very directly says to his disciples “I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear.” (Matt. 6:25)  Taken face value, that’s easy to say, less easy to do – but the message, the invitation, is very clear. And as we celebrate the Season of Creation in worship this summer, perhaps we can take heart and take our cues from nature – the grand non-human part of creation.  “Look at the birds,….consider the lilies of the field…” Jesus continues. The sun rises in the morning, the birds sing. Dandelions grow in the cracks of cement sidewalks. Cedar trees grip onto sheer cliffs of rock and somehow thrive. Leaves dry out, acorns fall, animals hibernate, and after a harsh season – life is rejuvenated. The rest of creation exists fully in the moment, moving in the rhythms set and tended to by the Creator.  Can we find hope and peace in this greater connection with the God of all things?

Jesus reminds us that worry does not add to our life, and points to the natural world around us as visible examples of living fully each day as beloved of God. The struggles and challenges remain, but our strength and peace comes from releasing the worry to the One who holds all things with love and who knows our needs. it is an act of faith in the midst of doubt, but Jesus offers both the gift and the invitation to trust. May it be a welcomed and accepted invitation.

Maybe following Jesus’ instructions in how to pray leads me most naturally in what to pray.

O God, you hold all who worry about the future with tender presence. Like a parent comforts their child, you give us respite from our burdens. Give us faith to accept the grace you offer through your promise to be with us always. Help us to recognize your goodness in the natural world around us, the simple and the magnificent, that we can move forward each day with confidence in your abiding love. Amen