MEDITATION:
Written by Rick Warren, a contemporary pastor, speaker, and author. This is an excerpt from his book “Living in the Goodness of God.”
You know what it’s like to live in constant worry, don’t you? You feel uptight, your stomach seems tied in knots, and your whole body is tense. But you don’t have to live that way. Anything that’s learned can be unlearned. It’s time to start unlearning worry! God has promised to take care of you; that’s his job, not yours. The starting point to letting go of worry is to maintain this humble attitude: “God is God, and I am not.” When you understand this important truth, worry will start to disappear from your life. Anytime you worry, it reveals a particular area of your life where you have not given God first place. That’s because any part of your life where God is not in control is going to be a source of insecurity and worry. So, what can you do about that? Welcome Jesus into your life’s “house.” Give him access to all the aspects of your life—the living room, the bedroom, the kitchen, and even all the closets. He already knows what’s in there. In fact, God knows your needs better than you do. You have needs you’re not even aware of—but none of them will surprise God. When you make Jesus Christ number one in every area of your life, it simplifies your priorities and gives you a lot less to worry about. If God loved you enough to die for you, he certainly loves you enough to feed you, lead you, and meet whatever need you have today. Try this: Start every day by reminding yourself that God is good. When you wake up, sit on the side of your bed and say, “The Lord is my Shepherd. So, Jesus, I’m expecting you to feed me, lead me, and meet my needs today. I will give you first place in every area of my life. And I will trust you.” As you begin every day by trusting God, you’ll start to see your worries fall away.
PRAYER:
Written by Debbie McDaniel. a contemporary Christian writer.
Dear God, we praise you today with our hearts and songs, we praise you for your faithfulness, we praise you for your great power and love. We confess our need for you, our lives don’t go so well when we just spin around on our own. We struggle and worry, get weary and worn. Yet you never leave us. Thank you for your presence. Thank you for your care over us, thank you that you breathe renewal right into our souls. We ask for your spirit to fill us, to draw us close to yourself, and to work your purposes through us, as we set our eyes on you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Pathways Press.com 