Aug | 06 | Pensions, Pasta and Personal Accessories

Key Word:- HAPPY

Title:- Pensions, Pasta and Personal Accessories

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.


The Lord did not say do not plan for tomorrow, He said, "Don't worry about it," that is, don't let it break into today and rob you of fully enjoying the present. Friends, we are linear liver's and linear thinkers, in that we have a past a present and anticipate a future. Now concerning the future, remember that anticipation of it is all we really have! Let's face it, this time next week any one of us could dead, buried, and dispatched. It's the truth! All we have concerning the future is either anticipation or fear of it.

We are often comforted, confused, expectant or fearful about life after death because on top of this earthly anticipation for a linear future, God has also put eternity in our hearts. We not only anticipate a linear future, but also we anticipate and expect, even yearn for and know of the terrible certainty of an eternal destiny. I suppose one of the benefits of such an eternal anticipation, of such a maybe fearful expectation, is that knowing there is a never ending future and that there are never ending consequences in that certain and eternal future, which relates to how we act now, well, it often makes us much more restrained in our excess down here, it reins us in as it were, it sometimes tempers the explosive and consuming nature of our sinful self. You might spend now, but you will always pay later. This we know.

Planning for the future is wise. Planning for college, for the care of children etc, all of these things are right and good. However, may I suggest that if these “plans” have reached into our present and dictate and depress us, dominate and drive us; then maybe they are wrong! Many, many people live much of their lives planning for the future, when they retire, when the kids have left home, when, when, when, even though it may never come!Ah but if and when it does, then they are ready for it, then all the worry and waste of time seems worth it. Maybe. Meanwhile in the now, in this gift of a moment, in this precious point in our lives when time touches eternity, peace is eaten and opportunity for enjoyment is wasted away in worry, having been so thoroughly consumed by the “when” and the worries of an unknown future. Safety, security, food and possessions, or should I say, pensions, pasta and personal accessories are all very nice to look forward to but friends, quite frankly, they are not very good to live for right now. They are in the future, which we can only anticipate and never with full certainty possess. Do you see that?

We all plan and rightly so and certainly we should not have the attitude of “eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” However, such meticulous planning, such overly protective planning for the “when” of the future, opens such pensive portals in the time space continuum, that it allows fears of every kind to be projected along our linear line of living and be bounced right back at us in the now, only this time, it is now magnified a thousand fold! For don’t you know that fear cannot live in the future or the past and so it fights to manifest itself always in the now! Future fears, like fat little kittens, will always try to claw themselves into our souls the moment an opening is presented to them. When we allow this to happen, when devouring fear is in our house, “the maybe then,” that monster of our own creation, like a hungry teenager will come and empty our peaceful cupboards, throw its dirty washing around on the ground of our contentment, go to its room and slam the door in the disrespect of our present and turn up its thumping music, very loud indeed, worrying and tormenting us to distracting anger and disbelief! Be very careful what you let into your house dear friends. Be very careful.

Jesus is very clear. In one day under this fallen and failing sun, there is only so much we can handle, or are expected to handle. Yes, be wise and plan when you can, however do not live for the plans you make for frankly, they are out of your control. Grab those scabby and grubby, clawing little kittens by the neck and get teenage fear by the ear friends and throw them out on it. Jesus says: “DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW!” You can't get any clearer than that can you? He says: “Seek my kingdom and my righteousness today and all shall be well with you tomorrow.” You might be saying “yeah, right” and I tell you the truth in answer to your tired and astonished "yeah right" lack of faith God is replying “Yeah right and you’d better believe it for your own good!” God is saying “Yes I mean it, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW!”

The answer to worry concerning the future is chosen rejoicing in the possession of this very moment. ‘Now’ is all you really have, so do make the very best of it!

Listen:- This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Pray:- All of your promises Oh God are Yes and Amen in Jesus. Amidst all this technology and temptation to plan and forecast my future, to kid myself into thinking I am in control, teach me Your Way Oh God, teach me Your Way. Amen.