Worry or Worship?

Here it is Friday again. We are coming upon our Sabbath. For the Jews it begins this evening and continues to Saturday evening. For Christians we observe the Lord’s Day, Sunday. It is not the day that is so important but the principle of rest. Many of you today will walk away from the job, the office but you are still worrying about what didn’t get done, what has to be done next week. Some will be back in the office on your day off just because you would rather be there working than at home worrying about it (except you call it “thinking” about it). The truth is that we need the Sabbath rest from thinking and worrying about all of that. It will be there when we get back to the office on Monday. Worry is a useless destructive activity anyway.

I love this story. J. Arthur Rank, an English executive, decided to do all his worrying on one day each week. He chose Wednesdays. When anything happened that gave him anxiety and annoyed his ulcer, he would write it down and put it in his “worry box” and forget about it until the next Wednesday. The interesting thing was that, on the following Wednesday when he opened his worry box, he found that most of the things that had disturbed him the past six days were already settled. It would have been useless to have worried about them in the first place. (Source Unknown.)

Luke 12:22-29 (NLT) Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things.

Take a worry break. Take a Sabbath. Take time to worship. In fact, structure your life so that you don’t have to TAKE time or MAKE time to worship, but rather so that worship is the priority that overrides everything else. Parents, think about what we teach our children when week after week we allow other things to go before stopping all the wheels and going to the house of the Lord to worship. We are preaching loud and clear that God is second in our lives (or third or fourth). They get the message and then live it when they grow up. But that’s another message. This is about worry. You see taking a worship break is a remedy for my worry because when I focus on how great God is it certainly minimizes my worries if not eliminates them.

So, if LIFEchurch is where you worship we’d love to see you all this weekend. If you are in the DFW area and don’t have a place of regular worship come check us out. If you live outside the area find a place to break from the worries of life or if you are already committed to a local church in this area get there this weekend. You need the break from worry and worship will do it like nothing else.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for worrying for worrying is not trusting You. I do trust You. I have done all that I can do and trust You to do the rest. I have labored hard this week and trust You to bless my efforts. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me, and help me to be more faithful to You. Let’s You and Me take a worship break this Sunday. AMEN.

Blessings!
Pastor Roger