It’s a crazy world. There is so much going on. If you live in the United States, you know the next election is just around the corner. Although, it seems all of 2020 has been an election year.
If you are on social media, your “stream” may be flooded with this and that. People arguing over things worth discussing, just not worth hating. The amount of content created by the end of this year will likely be quadruple the amount of the previous five years.
There isn’t much that is settled at the moment. In fact, as far as the world around us goes, it seems to get more unsettled every day.
“God is our refuge…Stop fighting (be still).” Psalm 46 may well be the mantra for 2020. God is our refuge. We just have to stop fighting in our own strength.
We also cannot allow the world to distract us. It isn’t the government that’s the problem (which everyone, or ones, you don’t like). It isn’t the rioters that are the problem (though many are destructive, while others are not). It isn’t even COVID or terrorism or (insert some “global” issue here).
It’s the human heart. In the story of Mary and Martha, we see the struggle firsthand. Martha is busy. It’s not even that she is busy with bad or wrong things. It’s that Mary chose to be busy with the better “thing”.
We’re all busy with things. Right now, it would seem that we are best situated to be like Mary. It doesn’t seem to be the case for far too many.
They are distracted by the bad news, filled with anxiety, filled with anger, feeling the need to respond (just to do something). They are busy.
However, many are busy not because they are doing good/right things at the wrong time. They are busy doing non-Jesus-following things right now.
※Prayer※
As we watch the world seem to spin further into chaos, remind us, God, that you are God, and we are not. Help us to work on being still in your presence. Amen.
※Questions※
1) What struck you about you in this? Why are “you” more important in this than others?
2) How will you help be the light of Christ’s peace in a time of anxiety, anger, and fear?