But Jesus

Feeling stressed or overwhelmed? Need a little spiritual pick-me-up? The other night I was woken by an “emergency” phone call from Japan, of all places, which led to a second phone call to my son. I don’t know about you, but once I’m awake and handed a bag of worry, I have a hard time going back to sleep. My mind spins with possible scenarios and such.

But Jesus.

I climbed back into bed, my heart racing in harmony with my brain, and I laid it all at the foot of the Cross. I know, easier said than done, right? But how often do we stress over things for which we have absolutely no control? Or things that never come to pass? I asked the Lord to help me surrender the situation to Him. And He did. Within minutes, I was asleep again.

But Jesus.

I just finished reading the book of Isaiah during my Bible Study time, and now I’m in Jeremiah. Talk about stress! It is a clear image of what the world looks like today—wickedness and evil, idolatry and disregard for anyone other than self. Jeremiah could’ve been prophesying to us, and it breaks my heart. Russia or China could be our Babylon. Everything we know and love today could be gone tomorrow.

But Jesus.

Last weekend, I was preparing the Sunday School lesson for our church’s sweet class of four- and five-year old children. The lesson was from Matthew 6:25-34. You’re probably familiar with the verses. They start out with Jesus saying, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.” I’ve read these verses more times than I can count and held them tight as a promise. But this time I thought about people suffering from hunger, famine, and violence in third-world countries. Do they feel the love of God pouring out on them? Do they question the promises made in these verses?

But Jesus.

It took me some time in prayer and reflection before I was reminded of this truth: God promises us every good and perfect gift, including healing and health—but not necessarily on this side of heaven. As believers in salvation through the blood of Christ, we know this world is not our home. This life is temporary and only a vague shadow of the glory God promises us when we join Him in His eternal Kingdom.

But Jesus.

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

If you struggle with finding peace in a world filled with pitfalls, dig into the Word of God to be reminded of how big our God is and how much He loves you. “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 by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:26).

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