Don't Worry

copyright 2000

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:25-34 -- New International Version

I've read these words of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew many, many times. He tells us not to worry, but still I do. I think my brain was simply wired to worry. There are times, and this is one of those times, when I am reminded of the Truth of these verses.

Wednesday, April 12, my sister called to tell me my Aunt Margaret had suffered a stroke, "a bad one." My sister lives 450 miles from her, and I live 700 miles from her. We had both seen her just two weeks before. Aunt Margaret was 90 years old and had lived a full life, but in the last year her health had failed rapidly. She only sometimes recognized us during our last visit.

After the stroke Aunt Margaret was able to drink some fluids, but not enough to sustain her 90 pound body, especially with her diabetes and heart disease. My sister and I needed to be there, but when? Aunt Margaret was receiving good care from people who loved her and had cared for her the last six years. Our main concern was being a comfort to my other aunt, her 91-year-old sister.

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