IN THE STILLNESS

August 16, 2020

Matthew 6:25-34 expands on the verse cited in the blog concerning God’s care for the birds. If God cares so much for them, how much does he also care for us?! There is no need to be aggressive, grasping and territorial! Rather, according to verse 33: But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

It is as we live in this way, that we indeed come close to the divine intention that the kingdom of God will come to earth as described in Isaiah 11:6-9:

The wolf shall live with the lamb,
    the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
    and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze,
    their young shall lie down together;
    and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
    and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
They will not hurt or destroy
    on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

All will live together in peace and not aggression, with generous spirits not suspicious greed. And so my prayer is:

Eternal God: You are truly the generous and loving God of all creation. You have provided enough for all You have made so that we might live together as loving brothers and sisters following in the way of Your Son, our Lord and heavenly brother, Jesus Christ. Help us to know that if we have more, it is because You are trusting us to share with those who have less. Help us to remember that this is what it truly means to be blessed – blessed to be a blessing. Holy God, we praise You that not only are You trusting us to share our material blessings but also trusting us to share our lives as well as we encourage, affirm and empower all those You place in our path. Keep us mindful that no one is to be satisfied until none are in need, and no one is to rest until all are at peace. It is in the name of Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we pray. AMEN.