Stewardship 5 – trust

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect on our relationship to God and recognize his faithful provision to us.

Short Sermon to the Birds by Francis of Assisi (around 1220 in Bevagna, Italy) meant for onlookers in the park:

“My little sisters the birds, you owe much to God, your Creator, and you ought to sing his praise at all times and in all places, because he has given you liberty to fly about into all places; and though you neither spin nor sew, he has given you a twofold and a threefold clothing for yourselves and for your offspring. Two of all your species he sent into the Ark with Noah that you might not be lost to the world; besides which, he feeds you, though you neither sow nor reap. He has given you fountains and rivers to quench your thirst, mountains and valleys in which to take refuge, and trees in which to build your nests; so that your Creator loves you much, having thus favored you with such bounties. Beware, my little sisters, of the sin of ingratitude, and study always to give praise to God.”

Scripture

Matthew 6:25-34

25  Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  26  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

27  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  28  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29  yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  30  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Observations and reflections

Note: Matthew 6:19-34 contain Jesus’ revolutionary teachings on possessions, money and security.  We focus on one or two such teachings each day and consider our own attitudes and behaviors in the light of his words.

1. In your own words paraphrase Jesus’ teaching regarding money in these two verses.
2. Can you think of one short phrase that best summarizes Jesus’ teaching in this section?
3. List the things Jesus says one should not be anxious of.
   1. What is the main reason Jesus says one should not be give in to anxiety? [verse 32]
   2. What does that imply about the nature of these anxieties?
   3. Considering verse 34, what more do we learn about human nature and these types of anxieties? [hint: “do not be anxious about tomorrow…”]
4. What do we learn about God (and his relationship to you/us) in this section?

Application and prayer

1. List every anxiety you carry or feel – write what are the things you stress about. Then confess it as wrong to God and ask for His peace to reign in your mind and heart.
2. Write all your needs (both immediate and foreseeable) down on a piece of paper.
   1. Paul taught that we should “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by not prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6). So before we pray through the list, take good time to thank the Father for all his faithful, loving provision in you life that you do see and have seen.
   2. Now “cast your cares in Him – for He cares for you” (1Peter 5:7). Ask him for each need – be specific.  Thank God that he has heard your prayers – as your Father who loves you.
   3. Lastly, pray for God’s Kingdom to reign in your life, family, community and work place. Let His righteousness, peace and joy reign where you live and move!  Ask God what you can do to make it come!

Creation 5

The Aim of this devotional is to consider God’s relationship with his creation.

Scripture

Psalm 104:1-31

I praise you, Lord God,
with all my heart.
You are glorious and majestic,
dressed in royal robes
²     and surrounded by light.
You spread out the sky
like a tent,
³     and you built your home
over the mighty ocean.
The clouds are your chariot
with the wind as its wings.
⁴ The winds are your messengers,
and flames of fire
are your servants.

⁵ You built foundations
for the earth,
and it
will never be shaken.
⁶ You covered the earth
with the ocean
that rose
above the mountains.
⁷ Then your voice thundered!
And the water flowed
⁸     down the mountains
and through the valleys
to the place you prepared.
⁹ Now you have set boundaries,
so that the water will never
flood the earth again.

¹⁰ You provide streams of water
in the hills and valleys,
¹¹ so that the donkeys
and other wild animals
can satisfy their thirst.
¹² Birds build their nests nearby
and sing in the trees.
¹³ From your home above
you send rain on the hills
and water the earth.
¹⁴ You let the earth produce
grass for cattle,
plants for our food,
¹⁵     wine to cheer us up,
olive oil for our skin,
and grain for our health.

¹⁶ Our Lord, your trees
always have water,
and so do the cedars
you planted in Lebanon.
¹⁷ Birds nest in those trees,
and storks make their home
in the fir trees.
¹⁸ Wild goats find a home
in the tall mountains,
and small animals can hide
between the rocks.

¹⁹ You created the moon
to tell us the seasons.
The sun knows when to set,
²⁰     and you made the darkness,
so the animals in the forest
could come out at night.
²¹ Lions roar as they hunt
for the food you provide.
²² But when morning comes,
they return to their dens,
²³     then we go out to work
until the end of day.

²⁴ Our Lord, by your wisdom
you made so many things;
the whole earth is covered
with your living creatures.
²⁵ But what about the ocean
so big and wide?
It is alive with creatures,
large and small.
²⁶ And there are the ships,
as well as Leviathan,^[a]
the monster you created
to splash in the sea.

²⁷ All of these depend on you
to provide them with food,
²⁸ and you feed each one
with your own hand,
until they are full.
²⁹ But when you turn away,
they are terrified;
when you end their life,
they die and rot.
³⁰ You created all of them
by your Spirit,
and you give new life
to the earth.

³¹ Our Lord, we pray
that your glory
will last forever
and that you will be pleased
with what you have done.
³² You look at the earth,
and it trembles.
You touch the mountains,
and smoke goes up.
³³ As long as I live,
I will sing and praise you,
the Lord God.
³⁴ I hope my thoughts
will please you,
because you are the one
who makes me glad.

³⁵ Destroy all wicked sinners
from the earth
once and for all.
With all my heart
I praise you, Lord!
I praise you!

Observations

1. If you were to select one verse from this Psalm that summarizes the core message of the Psalm, which one will it be? Why do you choose that one?
2. Verses 6-9 refer to a specific historic event – what does it refer to? And what is the promise contained in verse 9? Expand a bit.
3. From this Psalm, how does God care for his creation?

Application and Prayer

1. The promise contained in the Psalm is that ‘God cares for his creation’. How do you feel when reading v27-28?
2. This text agree strongly with Jesus the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:25-34 saying ‘do not worry about tomorrow – what you will eat or drink… for your heavenly Father knows…’  Write down all the things that you worry about.  Then ‘cast your cares upon the Lord for he cares for you.’ (1 Peter 5:7)
3. Paul wrote ‘do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.’ Do this now – bring all your worries and desires to God in prayer, thanking him that he cares for you and asking him to take care of the things you worry about.
4. Read through the Psalm again as praise to the Creator who cares for his wonderful creation.