Have You Considered?

“Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storehouse or a barn; yet God feeds them.” Luke 12:24 (CSB)

Consider…..

I was stressed and worried so at a time like that why would God tell me to consider. Honestly, at a time like this it was hard to make a conscious effort to think “carefully about and believe”. I knew He was asking me to get still and it felt impossible to get still in the middle of all my stress.

I admit that I’ve always been a stressor and worrier. People close to me already know this about me.  I spend a lot of time having to pray for God to help me give things to Him constantly because I tend to hold things so tight. Let go and let God sounds so easy when other people are doing it. 

I find myself striving to do it all “myself” according to my plan. I like everything worked out in advance so I know for sure how everything is going to unfold.

All the what if this and thats are always marching around in my head and can keep someone like me at full speed.  And when you spend most of your time going full speed you have a hard time finding a place where you feel safe enough to slow down and ….consider.  

I find myself right smack in the middle of some unchartered waters that are way over my head. A breeding ground for someone like me to become unraveled and a big anxious mess. I have big decisions to make and I admit my stress and worry meters have been on overload. 

But in the middle of the stress and worry thoughts this week, I have heard a voice. That small whisper within my soul. The voice of the Shepherd “making” me lie down in green pastures. He is working on “settling” me.  Something I learned in a Jennifer Rothschild Bible Study on Psalms 23.

The Great Shepherd does that kind of thing for people like me.  What I can not do on my own he comes to help me.  

Being able to truly rest in the midst of a storm is a valuable gift he gives his people that money can never buy. Even in the midst of the pushing and shoving and worries of life, He is found to be a resting place and green pastures. 

I found myself wondering how I will make it through this gigantic task that God has in front of me.  And I just couldn’t seem to grasp within myself how provision could possibly be made for me in the journey ahead.  

God knew I would need to be reminded again so he drew me a picture right in front of me. This morning I watched some birds from my deck. I usually keep my bird bath full of water but I had gotten busy and forgot this week. God didn’t.

I watched these tiny birds gather in the corners of my guttering getting a drink from the dew God had sent overnight. God supplied their need so simply and He didn’t need my help or striving to do it. He whispered His word to my heart as I watched the birds, “Have I not told you? Are you not worth more than many sparrows?” 

Earlier this week I had sat in traffic and looked around and spotted a little storage building almost unseen from the road. I used to pass by it everyday on my way to work and had never noticed it being there before.

A reminder that God has a store house. It is always full of what we need. Never empty and it is run by the generous hands of  Jehovah Jireh. We may not see or notice it being there as we are passing through on life’s busy highway but it is there all the same. Again a whisper, “ Did I not promise to supply all your needs?”

All special reminders to help me indeed consider.  “Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storehouse or a barn; yet God feeds them.” Luke 12:24 (CSB)

I know me. My hands will probably continue to shake from time to time but I know who not only holds my hands but fills them of what  I have need of. His Word reminds me of others before me. 

Ruth had her “hand fulls of purpose”. God filled Elijah’s hands with raven’s food. He brought water out of the desert dirt for Hagar.  He put fish in the disciples nets when they were empty. And He dropped Manna from the sky to feed the Israelites in the wilderness. 

Precious reminders that God will be our peace in the midst of our chaos and stress. And He will be our provision supplying every need. All this so we can say that He can truly be our peace speaker because He is first our way maker. 

My Prayer:

Lord help my Martha heart rest at your feet like Mary today. Help me lay me down in the green pastures of your Word and….just be. Help me allow you to be my resting place today. Help me consider and know that in this world there will always be trouble and something that wants to pull my heart into stress and worry, but in You, dear Lord,  I will find fullness and rest. Always. In Jesus Name. Amen. 

Psalm 23, Mathew 10:31, Luke 12: 24-27, Philippians 4:9, Psalm 50:10