Luke 12:25-26 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”
No one can avoid the constant news reports filled with economic uncertainty, job losses, spreading COVID-19 cases, and rising death tolls. The threats are real, but who of us benefits by worrying about them? Yes, I must take precautions, but worry itself won’t add a single hour to my life. I am fully dependent on God’s grace to live, to breathe, to see another day. The better I understand this, the more I find rest and peace.
The warming weather and the trees in full blossom outside my window remind me of God’s care in transforming winter to spring. Though many humans ignore and despise him, God faithfully, patiently, and meticulously cares for the earth and its inhabitants. He does not always spare his children from suffering or persecution, for he endured these things himself, but we are never to live in fear. Health and money (and everything else) are in his hands.
God wants his children to trust in him, not in net worth. Luke 12:15 “Life is not measured by how much you own.” He warns against hoarding and even attempts to gain financial independence and total leisure (ref. the currently popular FIRE movement: Financial Independence, Retire Early). Luke 12:21 “a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” He wants responsible followers who never forget him in their day-to-day lives, who do what he asks. Luke 12:31 “Seek the kingdom of God above all else and he will give you everything you need.” He wants to transform our desires so that we cherish what he values. Luke 12:34 “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also.” He wants to forgive us, cure us of fear, and share in the life he offers. John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
If I didn’t personally know Christ’s love and forgiveness, I would have many reasons to fear. Far more frightening than coronavirus, I would dwell in a cold and meaningless universe, my existence a mere fluke, a random event, without destiny or purpose. But it is not so. The very consciousness and longings of human beings betray the presence of a soul; we cannot escape it. And God doesn’t want us to. I am praying that this worldwide crisis of COVID-19 and its lasting repercussions result in many people turning to the Savior to find true life.
Father, you are in control and I trust you. More than anything, I want to live life to the full, following wherever you lead, serving whomever you want me to serve, giving whatever you want me to give. My health, finances, and future, and those of my loved ones, are in your hands.
This week: There’s a lot more in Luke 12 than what I’ve covered in this post. Why not study it in depth this week and write in a journal as you go along? While you’re reading and jotting down notes, keep asking yourself, “What do I learn about God and his ways?” If you’re already studying another part of Scripture, use the same question, again and again. Invite family members to join you. Let it foster discussion at the dinner table and – since you’re all in the same house for the time-being – at breakfast and lunch, too.
God bless us all as we face down our fears and place our trust in the power and love of our heavenly Father.