Monday, March 13 – Luke 12:1–34
My brothers and sisters and I are almost finished distributing my mother’s estate to all the people and places listed in her will. Fortunately, it’s been a very positive experience with all of us pitching in, encouraging, and supporting each other as we sort everything out.
I’ve heard, though, that distributing a parent’s estate can often create serious conflict among family members. Sometimes they stop talking to each other for years. The person who comes to Jesus in Luke 12:13 must be experiencing such a conflict. He or she must be pretty desperate to go to a famous rabbi in public. Perhaps there’s a bit of a power move going on?
Jesus responds by telling a story about a man who has everything he could possibly want, and how little it matters from an eternal perspective.
The alternative? Jesus has two words for his followers: “Don’t worry.” Don’t worry because not much is in your control anyway (thank you, I think?). Don’t worry because God’s got you, and he will take care of you. Don’t worry because God actually delights in giving you everything you truly need. Don’t worry because God has given you his kingdom, a forever kingdom of love, life, and abundance. And here’s where it really gets good. All this is yours, right now!
We can live right now with God in his kingdom, and when we do that, everything else has a way of sorting itself out.
So what’s stopping us from living like this?
Questions for reflection:
- Where have you experienced God’s love and care in your life? Where have you seen God’s love and care in others’ lives?
- What situations in your life cause you to worry? How much of those situations is really in your control? What might it mean to trust God with those situations? Who do you know who helps you with this?
Bible passages for further exploration: Psalm 91, Romans 8:28-39, Philippians 4:10–20