March 9, 2006

A simple decision?


“If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Luke 12:26-28 NKJV)

Today’s plans include a shopping trip, but big, puffy snowflakes falling on slushy streets that froze last night before the snow started this morning have transformed into slippery, even worse, slippery — and you cannot see where it is — slippery. I’m basically a coward when it comes to walking on that stuff. Driving is a little easier since my vehicle is built for winter conditions, but I am not.

Basic translation: I’m worried about going out in this spring squall. Amazing how a few verses written nearly two thousand years ago address an ordinary person’s situation in March 2006. Jesus says that I cannot take care of even the very least of my needs apart from the sovereign grace of God, so why should I be worried about anything? He watches out for sparrows, lilies, even grass, will He not watch out for me?

I could argue that He gave me the common sense to stay home when it is snowing, but I don’t think that is His point here. While there are occasions that require a judgment call, those calls are best made when anxiety and lack of faith are not interfering. My judgment needs to be based on trusting God’s love and power to care for me. If I’m fearful, doubting Him, or motivated by my natural distaste for any sort of discomfort or risk, then any decision I make is not based on input from God but on my personal bias.

So do I go out? Or stay home? I’m confident that if I abandon my own preferences I will hear from the Lord, even on such a simple decision as this!

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