September 12, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty in respect to the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself [or herself], then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup [in a worthy manner]. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself [or herself].”  (1 Corinthians 11.27-29)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD TO US:

“Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself; each day has trouble enough on its own.” (Matthew 6.34) In doing a little research, I found the non-scriptural corollary “don’t borrow trouble” is actually a phrase which originated in the country during the mid-1800s. No one is specifically assigned as being the first speaker of this phrase. We can see, however, its connection to the words of Jesus spoken during the Sermon on the Mount. I mention this here because the “community” mindset I find in the directive on celebrating communion including the discernment of the body. Are we truly being aware of the body of believers, the body of citizens, our own bodies and especially the body of Christ literally, metaphorically and spiritually. The service of communion is one of those times when people are invited out of their world and into the world of faith in and with Jesus as the Christ. I believe we can get so caught up in reading scripture with the intent of validating our own theologies and ideologies that we lose sight of the heart of scripture which is “the story of life.” When God created the heavens and the earth, He was not concerned about scientific theorems and maxims. He was thinking of us. None of us can understand the why of it. Is it because it is too hard to believe that someone would think about us without having a agenda of getting something for it. The world is built on the idea of “thinking about us” for its own profit and welfare. How many times have we done it ourselves to ourselves much less to others? I mean, the phrase “what’s in it for me” would be the keystone to such behavior. It is difficult to be selfless and far easier to be selfish. God can do the difficult things. In Christ, all things are made possible for those who seek the Lord. Isn’t that the basis of selflessness? It isn’t so much that we do not consider our own wants and needs which makes us selfless. I believe that makes us careless and thoughtless. What makes us selfless is putting our focus on the needs for others. From the basic needs of food, water, shelter to the most complex needs of belonging, community and purpose, the believer in Christ is urged to consider the process of caring for others trusting that your own needs are and will be met. And there it is. Trust is “not borrowing trouble from tomorrow and adding it to the trouble we already have.” It makes sense, doesn’t it. We are at such a deficit with what we think we need and want that is not being sufficiently and adequately met that we project forward to what might happen in order for our bill to be filled. Instead of looking at tomorrow, we only need to look at the past. For Christ followers that is more easily done because of what God did for us in Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus is our future “the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.” In Him our future never changes.

Oh sure, we navigate worldly changes all the time. Life in this world is fairly fluid. It has this tendency to follow the paths of least resistance. That is why the enemy of God and humankind speaks only to what we don’t have. If you stop to think about it, Satan does speak to what we do have but only in the negative. Satan is always about the alluring “more, bigger, better, longer lasting, more powerful, more influential and obtainable if only.” We pursue whatever it is with a willingness to make changes and adjustments in our lives to get what is promised without considering the real cost of it up to and including our souls. That, my friends, is trouble. Yes, trouble with a capital T and that rhymes with P but I don’t mean, sorry Mr. Music Man, pool. Instead, that P which is so troubling stands for “pride.” Pride worries about tomorrow without thinking if that tomorrow will ever come. Will I ever be financially stable and ahead of the game? Will I make a difference in the world and be overtly called out for it? Will I be a world-shaker and difference maker? For some, pride heads in the opposite direction. I don’t want to be accountable in case something bad happens. I don’t want to stir the pot because it may boil over on me. I don’t want to be different and stand out and be looked at for leadership. Jesus told His disciples, “In this world you will have peace. Put your anxious thoughts to rest because I have overcome the world. I have told you these things so that you may have peace. It comes from Me.” (John 16.33) Jesus said a similar thought right before His “don’t borrow trouble” message in the Sermon on the Mount. There it sounded like “Seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness. Don’t worry about wants and needs, God’s got this.” In other words, don’t get so consumed with self that you forget everyone is in the same place as you. Oh, it may look different, and it most certainly does based on so many socio-economic factors, but bottom line it stills shows up as being the same thing.

What is that “same thing”? Well, my friends, in the words of City Slickers Cowboy Curly, it is “one thing.” That one thing was about doing more for others even at the risk of your own life without concern for your own welfare. Where Mitch may have thought life would then just take care of itself, as he would take care of Norman the calf, we know life just doesn’t take care of itself. God does. That means while the one thing may be selfless action (i.e. love God and others before self) the “same thing” is that “all have sinned and fallen short.” Yes, the root problem for us all is “sin.” It comes with the freedom to choose for ourselves who we shall be and to whom we give ourselves. Who do we trust? As followers of Christ, we do not need to worry about tomorrow because it has already been guaranteed by putting our faith in Him. We can be short-sighted and short-circuit ourselves by attempting to make today that tomorrow of eternal peace and provision without worry. Consider all the things be offered to humanity today with some intention of “as it will be in Heaven.” It may well be that Heaven is streets of gold and avenues of silver, etc. The question is “Will we be dissatisfied with Heaven if it is not?” Isn’t Jesus all we really need? And when God considered us, He came up with all creation. He then made a way for us to “have it all.” It comes not in pursuing trouble by stealing it out of the hand of the One who will provide it. It comes by trusting in His provision daily knowing that is the way it will be tomorrow and the day of the Lord after that.

I heard a version of that yesterday during one comment about the 9/11 remembrance. It said, “Live today not as if it were 9/11 but as if it were 9/12.” Consider the community feeling of “in this together” that rose up because of the tragedy which happened. We see it with other tragedies that may not have such a national and global impact as people come together. We do not have time to worry about tomorrow when today has so much need in it. What makes a difference for the mighty ones of God is that what the world really needs is a living relationship in spirit and in truth with Jesus Christ who came to take away the threat of sin in the world. That threat is eternal death and dying where the focus is on trying to live the way we imagined without God and finding out the awful and inescapable truth of it. God has got our tomorrow and has a way for us to live today with that in mind. The problem is not everyone is on the same page. That is why, at least for me, communion is so important. In that moment, past and present and future are brought together with the promise that “In My Father’s House are many rooms and I am going there to prepare one just for you. If it were not so, why would I tell you and get your hopes up. But I am telling you the truth because I am the way, the truth and the life and the doorway to the tomorrow that never ends filled with the abundance of the fruit of the Spirit and the bounty of faith, hope and love.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.