Did you know that over 40 million people a year struggle with some type of anxiety disorder? From Generalized Anxiety Disorder to PTSD, there are many types of anxiety disorders, and it is the most common mental illness. And for the most part, it is treatable.
While most of us probably don’t fit in to an anxiety disorder category, it can be said of all of us that we worry. And some of us worry too much. Worrying is both a symptom and a catalyst for anxiety and can absolutely overwhelm you to the point of paralysis. When we worry, our joy is stolen, our peace is non-existent, and our well-being suffers, along with those around us.
The root cause of much of our anxious worrying is fear. When we are afraid of something, we turn that fear into negative thoughts and run through multiple scenarios of what could go wrong. And there are so many things that we fear!
Rejection
Failure
Abandonment
Exposure
Being manipulated
Losing someone or something precious
Losing control
Accidents
Not getting things finished
Being hurt in a relationship
And on, and on, and on.
Did you know that God does not give us fear? Nope. Fear is not from God. We manage that all on our own.
2 Timothy 17 (Modern English Version)
7 For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and self-control.
I think a clue for how to battle worry is found in what God does give us. Instead of fear, he gives us power. His power is available to us to help us in our problem-solving. Instead of fear, he gives us love, the strongest emotion a human can give or receive. There is strength for the battle in love. And perhaps most importantly, he gives us self-control, so that when worrying begins to overtake us, we can clang shut that nonsense and focus on things that are going right and the many places we have been blessed.
Power, love, and self-control. Next time you find yourself starting to worry, remember that you have these weapons in your battle bag. God is your strength and your shield.
How many of you insist on trying to carry every single grocery bag from your car to your kitchen in one trip? I don’t know why we do this. I seem to think that it it somehow against the law to make multiple trips up and down the stairs, so I slide the handles of every single bag down my arms and stagger up 13 steps to deposit them on the kitchen counters and then collapse. Do you do that, too?
It is hard to carry heavy things. Isn’t it lovely when you find a way to set them down?
David knew all about carrying heavy things. His many sins weighed heavily upon him. If you run a checklist of the Ten Commandments, he broke almost every one. But David also knew the joy that comes with forgiveness after you lay that heavy sin at God’s feet and repent:
Psalm 37 (New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition)
Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 While I kept silent, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
I have admired the sacredness and promise of the confessional booth. While protestants do not follow a practice of confessing sins to a priest, the visual example of that ornate box while sitting in a worship service must bring comfort to Catholics during mass. It is a visible, tangible reminder of the nearness of God’s grace, and that every single confession is guaranteed to be received with forgiveness.
All you have to do is come.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
God is our hiding place, where we can take our sins into the sacredness of his presence and be assured of redemption. God hears us when we confess and delivers us from the harm that sin brings.
7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah
Are you carrying a burden of sin that is just too heavy to keep lugging around? The “confessional booth” of God’s heart is always open. Just come.
Few things in life bother me more than ingratitude. It boggles my mind when someone extends themself with generosity and thoughtfulness only to be met with silence or worse, to be taken for granted. When I receive any expression of gratitude it means the world to me. A text, a well written thank you note, a gift card to a favorite restaurant … I have been the grateful recipient of other people’s gratitude, and it encourages me and makes me happy to know that my effort was acknowledged. I met recently with a young woman for pastoral counseling and was delighted to receive a handwritten card from her a few weeks later. That meant my time with her was appreciated, and that brought me joy.
On the other hand, I once drove five hours to officiate a funeral and did not receive any thanks in any form, not even from the funeral home that surely was handsomely paid for their services. The funeral director knew how far I had to travel, yet even my gas was not reimbursed. My time spent writing the sermon and planning the service, coordinating with the musician, organizing the bulletin, in addition to the long day, was met with ingratitude. I hope, at least, the Lord was pleased with my effort.
Jesus felt this frustration, too. In our passage from Luke, he extended himself to ten lepers and healed them. Watch what happens next:
Luke 17 (Common English Bible)
11 On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten men with skin diseases approached him. Keeping their distance from him, 13 they raised their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, show us mercy!”
14 When Jesus saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” As they left, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw that he had been healed, returned and praised God with a loud voice. 16 He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus replied, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 No one returned to praise God except this foreigner?” 19 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up and go. Your faith has healed you.”
Ten were healed. One gave thanks. And he was a Samaritan, the sworn enemies of Jews like Jesus, making this all the more profound.
This story is a great reminder to us that giving thanks is part of our faith. Giving praise is part of our faith. Acknowledging and appreciating all that God has done for us is part of our faith! You may be familiar with the “ACTS” of prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Thanksgiving is woven into the very fabric of our relationship with God.
Lest the Lord think we all take him and his wonderful blessings for granted, may we pause right now to fall at Jesus’ feet like a healed leper and give thanks.
I have had the pleasure (and sometimes the discomfort) of observing motherhood in my congregations, family, and neighborhood. I am convinced that we mother the way we were mothered. This Christmas, my oldest asked for books for her children. I saw a direct line from that request to how I raised her and to how I was raised. Reading has always been a top priority in our families, and afternoons spent lounging under blankets for family “read-a-thons” are some of my favorite memories of raising her, and of my own childhood. What patterns or practices can you see in your family that have been passed down?
Another thing that I have noticed in my family is a tendency for mothers to be somewhat pushy. Not in a mean, demeaning, or aggressive way, but in a way of showing deep confidence in our children and not letting up on encouraging them when they are about to give up on themselves. “You can do it! Try again! Don’t give up!” are things we say to our children because they were said to us.
Call us pushy, we don’t care. Pushy mothering is holy.
Today’s lectionary passage is about Jesus’ first miracle. That should be the star of the show: For the first time ever, Jesus revealed his divine nature in public and transformed water into wine. But this time around, let us focus on his pushy mother. I think even John would be okay with this: Notice even before he mentions Jesus’ presence at the wedding, he tells us “Jesus’ mother was there” as if to say, “pay attention to Mary.”
John 2 (The Message)
2 1-3 Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus and his disciples were guests also. When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus’ mother told him, “They’re just about out of wine.”
4 Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.”
Has your kid ever said, “Don’t push me” to you? Did you ignore it? I did. So did Mary. I love John’s comment that “she went ahead anyway.” You go, Mary!
5 She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.”
6-7 Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus ordered the servants, “Fill the pots with water.” And they filled them to the brim.
8 “Now fill your pitchers and take them to the host,” Jesus said, and they did.
9-10 When the host tasted the water that had become wine (he didn’t know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew), he called out to the bridegroom, “Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you’ve saved the best till now!”
I will boldly assert that as divine as Jesus was, we have Mary to credit with this first miracle. Even God Incarnate needed a push from someone who believed in him even more than he believed in himself at that moment.
So push on, Mamas. Encourage, equip, cajole, support, and don’t take “no” for an answer. Your belief in your child may be all they need to succeed. And mother-love is a miracle in and of itself.
So go be Mary.
11 This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Twice last week I had an unexpected phone call from a loved one. In both cases, my first thought was that something was terribly wrong. I answered with trepidation, not knowing what was about to come. Fortunately in both cases, the caller immediately let me know that they were not reporting death or disaster but rather calling with incredibly good news. One reported a miraculous remission of her cancer. That was the sweetest, most uplifting news I have had in a long time. The other reported that she was making arrangements to fly down to see me in a few weeks and would run the last 5 miles of a Half Marathon with me to help me “over the line.” If you run long distances, you know what a blessing that will be. Listening to my audible book will only take me so far!
It seems to me that there isn’t enough good news going around these days. The horrific wildfires in California, the uncertainty of a new administration poised to take over our country in a matter of days, the changes in social media that are happening right now, and even the price of eggs seem to dominate our daily experiences, conversations, and our minds. Let’s face it: January comes with its own special challenges. A women’s event where I am scheduled to speak was postponed due to snow. In Atlanta. Go figure!
David wrote a beautiful psalm about what to do when the bad things seem to be overwhelming and overshadowing the good things. He wrote this in his later years, after he had experienced a fair amount of wickedness and evil. Listen to his counsel today as you consider where to turn when the bad seems to be winning:
Psalm 37 (New International Version)
Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. 15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; 17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.
18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever. 19 In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20 But the wicked will perish: Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; 22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed.
23 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; 24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
Look again at the beginning of verses 1, 3, 7 and 8. Here is what David is saying:
Do not fret.
Trust in the Lord and do good.
Commit your way to the Lord.
Be still.
Refrain from anger.
Truly, this is the better way to deal with all the bad news! David was right.
Of course, my favorite verse is verse 23: “The Lord makes firm the steps of one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall.” Good news for this runner! And if I do stumble, now my friend will be there to catch me.
What did you hear today in this Scripture? Are you focusing too much on the bad news? Can you be a source of better news to somebody today?
Remember, the Lord upholds us all with his hand. May we reach out a hand to uphold someone else.
Behold the lovely cormorant. These waterfowl are common in central Florida, and they live along lakes that provide them with fish feasts. This fellow took a lively dip into the water, caught his breakfast, and then perched along the shore on a rock to dry out his wings.
You see, wet wings don’t fly.
The water adds weight that makes it hard to lift the wing, and so the bird must patiently spread his wings out and wait for the air to eventually dry out his feathers.
There is a lot to be gleaned from his behavior.
So often we approach a situation with wet wings, not realizing that time and air will assist us if we are patient enough. When we look at a problem with the cumbersome burden of the past, the weight of our sin, or the heaviness of anxiety that is strong enough to immobilize us, we fail to do what we were meant to do: To soar.
Isaiah 40 (Evangelical Heritage Version)
But those who wait for the Lord will receive new strength. They will lift up their wings and soar like eagles. They will run and not become weary. They will walk and not become tired.
Did you catch that? Wait. Wait for the Lord. Wait for your roiling emotions to settle down enough to think more clearly. Wait for God to intervene, and don’t try to take matters into your hands until he does. Wait long enough to pray and listen to his answer.
Just wait.
Are you troubled this morning by something you can’t control? Are your wings heavy with regret or indecision? Do you believe God has a plan? Just wait.
God desires that we soar like eagles who fly with grace, ease, and joy. Maybe in order to do that today, we’ll need to stop and dry out our wings. May we find new strength in the waiting so that we can move forward with energy and purpose.
On January 12th this year, most churches will celebrate Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptizer. It is common to have a rededication of your baptismal vows on that Sunday, where we contemplate what was said by us or by our parents. The charge from the pastor is, “Remember your baptism and be thankful.” I am thankful that my parents had me baptized as a baby in the Huntington, Pennsylvania Methodist Episcopal Church many decades ago. Do you remember your baptism?
One of my favorite parts of the liturgy is this:
We confess Jesus Christ as our Savior, put our whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as our Lord, in union with the church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races.
These are great statements for us to consider today. Do you confess Christ as your Savior and promise to serve him as Lord? That means more than just receiving the benefit of being saved. I mean, everybody likes that first part! But it also requires making him Lord of your everything: Your attitudes, your resources, how you spend your time, what you post on social media, how you speak to people who don’t agree with you, how you drive on the freeway, how you tip servers… if you take this seriously, you are promising to make him Lord of your everything.
It also asks if you will serve Christ in union with the church with everyone who is sent to you. Think about your church participation. Are you actively serving, or are you just a spectator? If you take this seriously, you are promising to serve God in a meaningful way.
But the best part is when we affirm that we are putting our whole trust in his grace. Think about that for a minute. Is there anything that is more trustworthy than God’s grace? People, institutions, governments, relationships, etc. will all let us down. But not God. We understand grace to be the unmerited favor and unconditional love of God for us. Do you know what that means? It means that you can’t earn his grace, but neither can you lose it if you return to him with a repentant heart. If you take this seriously, you are making the bold choice to put your whole trust in God’s grace.
As you go about your day, ponder this. Christ invites us to love him with our whole heart. Are you worthy of that trust?
Today’s lectionary passage from Isaiah is one of my favorite Scriptures. I recently read this to the Southern Shores firefighters at their Firefighter Academy graduation, as the words are perfect for their commitment and dedication to their calling to put themselves in harm’s way in order to save lives.
As I read it again this morning, it occurred to me that many of us are passing through some type of incendiary event in our lives right now. Addiction, incarceration, divorce, job insecurity, abuse, marital distress … there are fires all around us that threaten to undo us.
What kind of fire are you in today?
Isaiah 43 (New International Version)
But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
To be known and called by name by the One who created the universe is a heady thought. That God knows me that well and promises that my particular situation will neither consume me alive nor drown me in the depths of the sea is something I can’t fathom. But yet, he loves us that much.
3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. 4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. 5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
At the time of this writing, the nation of Israel had been gathered up and taken into captivity in Babylon. God allowed that to happen because of their disobedience. They had walked away from him, and he allowed them to keep walking. Yet this prophecy foretells a time when they would be returned, restored, and redeemed. This is a timely reminder to us that even when we walk away from the Lord, he will follow us and continue to woo us back into his will.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
“Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” God won’t spare us from the trials we endure but instead promises to walk through them with us.
Are you in a firestorm today? Look around. God is there, too. You’re just passin’ through.
When You Pass Through the Waters by Michelle Robertson
The story is about a young boy whose only line in the Christmas play was to announce that the three kings came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. He practiced and practiced, but on the night of the play he was so nervous he completely forgot what to say. And so he said the only words he could think of that sounded like the ones he had memorized, and what came out was, “The three kings came, bearing gifts of gold, circumstance, and mud.”
Well, almost.
The Visit of the Magi
Matthew 2:1-12 (New Revised Standard Version)
2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star in the east and have come to pay him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him, 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’ ”
7 Then Herod secretly called for the magi and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9 When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
The young thespian had it almost right, though. His interpretation is kind of appropriate for how we came to our reading today, isn’t it? We have an opportunity to share our gold as an offering to those who need it today, regardless of whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. And to be sure, each one of us has a bit of mud that needs cleaning off.
What life circumstance are you facing today? Are you ready to give it over to God? Is there any mud staining your soul this morning that you could ask Jesus to clean? Are you ready to share your provision with someone in need?
Wherever you are, no matter what you are facing, Christ invites you to bring your circumstance in the sure and certain faith that his blood can wash away all your mud.
It is so strange to type 2025! How long do you think it will take before we actually get used to writing it? It usually takes me until about St. Patrick’s Day.
My prayer for you is that 2025 will be a year of joy, peace, and understanding. I pray we all grow closer to our Lord through our vigilant and constant reading of his Word. Won’t you join me?
It has been my humble honor to write these devotionals every day. I would not do it if you weren’t reading it. Thank you for all your words of encouragement, challenge, affirmation, and friendship.
I cherish each one of you.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! from all of us at At Water’s Edge (that’s me and the dog).
At Water’s Edge 