Lent Self Study
Into the Wilderness
Find a notebook that you might use as a journey through Lent.
This may be a place for your personal reflections, prayers, thoughts and insights.
Week 2: Worry
Into the Wilderness
Find a notebook that you might use as a journey through Lent.
This may be a place for your personal reflections, prayers, thoughts and insights.
Week 2: Worry
Matthew 6:26-30, Why worry?
Look at all the birds, - do you think they worry about their existence? They don’t plant or reap or store up food, yet God provides them each with food. Aren’t you much more valuable? So, which one of you by worrying could add anything to your life?
“And why would you worry about your clothing? Look at all the beautiful flowers of the field.
They don’t work or toil, and yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was robed in beauty more than one of these!
So if God has clothed the meadow with grass, which is here for such a short time and then dried up and burned,
won’t God provide for you the clothes you need—even though you live with such little faith?
Look at all the birds, - do you think they worry about their existence? They don’t plant or reap or store up food, yet God provides them each with food. Aren’t you much more valuable? So, which one of you by worrying could add anything to your life?
“And why would you worry about your clothing? Look at all the beautiful flowers of the field.
They don’t work or toil, and yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was robed in beauty more than one of these!
So if God has clothed the meadow with grass, which is here for such a short time and then dried up and burned,
won’t God provide for you the clothes you need—even though you live with such little faith?
Why should you worry? Why indeed! It is almost impossible to not worry. Worry is part of our every day life and it is as natural to us as breathing is. It is second nature to us. We live, we worry. We get up, we worry about what the day will bring. We eat breakfast and we worry about what’s going on in the news. We go to work and we worry about all the traffic pollution and whether we will be late. We worry about money, about our health, our future. We go to church and we worry that we’re still going home worried. So, to tell someone not to worry is almost the same as telling someone not to breathe!
Especially because of what’s going on in the world at the moment. A pandemic has hit the world. It is scary. It is real. It is coming closer to us and it IS a worry! Are we prepared enough? Are people around us taking the right precautions? Is our community doing enough? Will we get sick? Will we die? It IS a worry and to say otherwise is a lie.
Question: In the light of COVID-19, what are your greatest worries right now?
While they are walking through a field on a beautiful day Jesus speaks to his hearers. The sun might just be turning in the sky and the colour of the day at that moment is gorgeous. There is a refreshing breeze blowing over the tall grass in the field causing it to bend lightly, the sun reflects off the flowery tips. It looks heavenly. Bright wildflowers peek through the grass, blue cornflowers, red poppies. It smells warm, summery, safe. This moment could last forever. Birds overhead swoop down. They dart across the sky, flitting to tall branches, chirping joyful song. That’s when Jesus breaks in with a smile on his face and says, “look at the birds…” It seems, in that moment, there really is nothing wrong with the world. All is well, and there is nothing at all to worry about.
But is it just for that moment? When all is dreamy and picture-perfect? I’m not so sure. It makes easy sense to say “don’t worry” when everything is good. But does it not still apply when things are less desirable? When there really are things to worry about?
Think about this: Perspective is everything!
Surely on a day that is less than gorgeous, we may remember the day when it was. Perspective helps us to remember that things were not always as they are, and things will not always be as they are. Life is constantly changing. Though we can take a photograph of a perfect moment in time, we cannot ever freeze the moment. It changes. As soon as we look away, it has already changed. And we are asked to adapt and more than that, we are asked to remember the good and the beautiful and the compassionate when we are tempted to let worry ravage our minds.
I cannot imagine that Jesus is glibly saying “wont worry”. I cannot imagine for even a second that Jesus would be walking down a street in Italy right now preaching a message of “don’t worry”! Perhaps he might be reminding us of the beauty of the world, of a time when the grass is high and the birds sing. Perhaps he would be reminding us to be beauty in a world of worry. Because kindness is a beautiful thing, compassion is exquisite. Helping a neighbour, - priceless!
Question: What can you do to lessen the worry of someone else?
Question: What can you do to bring compassion and kindness into our worried world right now?
Especially because of what’s going on in the world at the moment. A pandemic has hit the world. It is scary. It is real. It is coming closer to us and it IS a worry! Are we prepared enough? Are people around us taking the right precautions? Is our community doing enough? Will we get sick? Will we die? It IS a worry and to say otherwise is a lie.
Question: In the light of COVID-19, what are your greatest worries right now?
While they are walking through a field on a beautiful day Jesus speaks to his hearers. The sun might just be turning in the sky and the colour of the day at that moment is gorgeous. There is a refreshing breeze blowing over the tall grass in the field causing it to bend lightly, the sun reflects off the flowery tips. It looks heavenly. Bright wildflowers peek through the grass, blue cornflowers, red poppies. It smells warm, summery, safe. This moment could last forever. Birds overhead swoop down. They dart across the sky, flitting to tall branches, chirping joyful song. That’s when Jesus breaks in with a smile on his face and says, “look at the birds…” It seems, in that moment, there really is nothing wrong with the world. All is well, and there is nothing at all to worry about.
But is it just for that moment? When all is dreamy and picture-perfect? I’m not so sure. It makes easy sense to say “don’t worry” when everything is good. But does it not still apply when things are less desirable? When there really are things to worry about?
Think about this: Perspective is everything!
Surely on a day that is less than gorgeous, we may remember the day when it was. Perspective helps us to remember that things were not always as they are, and things will not always be as they are. Life is constantly changing. Though we can take a photograph of a perfect moment in time, we cannot ever freeze the moment. It changes. As soon as we look away, it has already changed. And we are asked to adapt and more than that, we are asked to remember the good and the beautiful and the compassionate when we are tempted to let worry ravage our minds.
I cannot imagine that Jesus is glibly saying “wont worry”. I cannot imagine for even a second that Jesus would be walking down a street in Italy right now preaching a message of “don’t worry”! Perhaps he might be reminding us of the beauty of the world, of a time when the grass is high and the birds sing. Perhaps he would be reminding us to be beauty in a world of worry. Because kindness is a beautiful thing, compassion is exquisite. Helping a neighbour, - priceless!
Question: What can you do to lessen the worry of someone else?
Question: What can you do to bring compassion and kindness into our worried world right now?
Our Lenten theme is "Wilderness". This time certainly feels like a trek through an unknown and untrod wilderness. It is a place of fear and uncertainty, of panic and self-preservation. We are called, as followers of Christ to walk with faith and hope even though the path may be hidden and our feet are unsure. We are called to offer light to others, to comfort those around us whose fears may be greater than ours. We are asking you to pray for healing and that this time of confusion and fear may quickly pass. Let us pray for those who are sick and those who are at great risk of becoming sick.
A Prayer for this Wilderness
(Moderator of United Church of Canada, Richard Bott)
In this time of Covid-19 - we pray.
When we aren't sure, God, help us be calm;
when information comes from all sides, correct and not,
help us to discern;
when fear makes it hard to breathe,
and anxiety seems to be the portion of the day,
slow us down, God;
help us to reach out with our hearts,
when we can't touch with our hands;
help us to be socially connected,
when we have to be socially distant;
help us to love as perfectly as we can,
knowing that "perfect love casts out all fear."
For the doctors, we pray, for the nurses, we pray,
for the technicians and the janitors and the
aides and the caregivers, we pray,
for the researchers and theorists,
the epidemiologists and investigators,
for those who are sick,
and those who are grieving, we pray,
for all who are affected,
all around the world... we pray
for safety, for health, for wholeness.
May we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty,
clothe the naked and house those without homes;
may we walk with those who feel they are alone,
and may we do all that we can to heal
the sick -
in spite of the epidemic, in spite of the fear.
Help us, O God,
that we might help each other.
In the love of the Creator, in the name of the Healer,
in the life of the Holy Spirit that is in all and with all,
we pray.
May it be so.
A Prayer for this Wilderness
(Moderator of United Church of Canada, Richard Bott)
In this time of Covid-19 - we pray.
When we aren't sure, God, help us be calm;
when information comes from all sides, correct and not,
help us to discern;
when fear makes it hard to breathe,
and anxiety seems to be the portion of the day,
slow us down, God;
help us to reach out with our hearts,
when we can't touch with our hands;
help us to be socially connected,
when we have to be socially distant;
help us to love as perfectly as we can,
knowing that "perfect love casts out all fear."
For the doctors, we pray, for the nurses, we pray,
for the technicians and the janitors and the
aides and the caregivers, we pray,
for the researchers and theorists,
the epidemiologists and investigators,
for those who are sick,
and those who are grieving, we pray,
for all who are affected,
all around the world... we pray
for safety, for health, for wholeness.
May we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty,
clothe the naked and house those without homes;
may we walk with those who feel they are alone,
and may we do all that we can to heal
the sick -
in spite of the epidemic, in spite of the fear.
Help us, O God,
that we might help each other.
In the love of the Creator, in the name of the Healer,
in the life of the Holy Spirit that is in all and with all,
we pray.
May it be so.
Take us by the hand and lead us,
lead us through the desert sands,
bring us living water,
Holy Spirit, come.
(Hymn: Dust and Ashes, Brian Wren)
lead us through the desert sands,
bring us living water,
Holy Spirit, come.
(Hymn: Dust and Ashes, Brian Wren)
Copyright 2020 Suzanna Bates