Do not worry
by Margaret Silvester
Recently, walking along a river, surrounded by snow covered hills, we came across a robin perched on a tree branch, no more than three feet from us. It was calm, unafraid, unhurried, unworried and a beautiful sight in a beautiful environment. The words “Do not worry, you are of more value than many robins,” wouldn’t leave me.
People worry about many things. They worry about things that will never happen, things about the past that can’t be changed, about criticism from others which is often untrue, about health and about real problems that have to be faced.
So, why do we worry? If the character of the God of the Bible is true, worry is unnecessary. In fact it is interest on a debt you may never incur. Worry stands between you and God. When we worry we’re really saying we can’t trust God to take care of us in the small and the big issues of life. We don’t think He can take care of the practical details of our lives
Worry often has to do with the future. It says, “I won’t trust where I can’t see.” We might call this unbelief. In my experience the cure for unbelief is obedience. Ceasing to worry is about relationship with God, which grows through small steps of obedience, often when we can’t see the way ahead.
Jesus never worried. He didn’t live to please Himself, but to obey His Father. The Father of Jesus is my Father. He loves me to the extent that my name is ‘written on the palms of His hands’ (Isaiah 49:16). I can’t think of anything He’ll ever forget. He’ll protect me, lead me and watch over me as I trust in Him.
The big question for you to answer is ‘Why do I worry?’ Keep your mind today on the ‘much more’ of your heavenly Father. Remember that ‘He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine’ (Ephesians 3:20). He knows the circumstances of your life. He simply says, ‘Don’t worry. Trust me.’
E. Cheney wrote a simple poem:
Said the robin to the sparrow ‘I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings rush about and worry so.’
Said the sparrow to the robin, ‘Friend I think that it must be
That they have no heavenly Father, such as cares for you and me.’
Prayer: Heavenly Father, please forgive my unbelief. Thank You for Your unchanging character and for Your amazing love to me revealed through Jesus. Today I choose to turn my thoughts on You and cease from worrying. Please increase my faith and teach me to trust You more. Amen
Margaret Silvester had a career as a teacher prior to being called into full time Christian Ministry with her husband, David, in 1986. They were involved in establishing a Healing Ministry in the local church and Margaret has a passion to see lost and wounded people found and restored. She and her husband joined the Ellel Ministries teaching and ministry team in 2000 after a clear call from God. Margaret`s book "Stepping Stones to the Father Heart of God" has recently been published.
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
