After God teaching me about worry after reading Matthew 6, he has continues to pound this command into me. Readying further in Matthew, we come upon the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. What catches my attention upon reading it after the exploration of the previous text is the seed that falls among thorns “which grew up and choked the plants” (verse 7). Later as Jesus explains this to his friends, his disciples, he declares that this represents “the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful” (verse 22).
Here Jesus makes it clear that worry is destructive to our faith! Don’t worry, for it will choke out any fruit you could possibly bear. And we know that any tree that bears no fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire (John 15:6).
Why does it bear no fruit? Worry disconnects us from the Father, and we take matters into our own hands. We no longer live in faith, trusting the Father to provide, to take care of us. We do not have to believe he is faithful. We dismiss him from the picture and sever the connection we have with him. In that disconnect, John 15:1-8 states, we, the branches, are no longer in Christ, the vine, and thus we can do nothing. We are fruitless:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
There is nothing so crucial as to remain in the vine, in Christ. There is nothing as destructive as worry or fear to tear us from that vine of life, hope, love and all good gifts.
So what is the remedy to the worry in our lives? Peace. We receive the peace of God by lifting our anxieties to the Lord through prayers of thanksgiving(Phil 4:6). This peace which surpasses any and all understanding will guards our hearts and our minds in our Lord Jesus against the worry and anxiety that threatens to overtake us (Phil 4:7). This anxiety has no power except for the power which we give it! We make a choice to give our lives, concerns and fears to the Lord and in trusting in his goodness and his provision and his care, we rest. We remain connected to the vine; we remain in Christ’s love.
How is this choice made even possible? Looking just a few verses before, Paul I believe says the key: rejoice. Always! It is such a command and statement that he says it twice in the same sentence: “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice” (Phil 4:4). We rejoice despite circumstances because of what the Lord has already done for us: we are abundantly pardoned! We walk in his love! We share in his life! We choose to rejoice because the Lord of lords, the King of kings, the Prince of peace, the Almighty God chose us first to be his friends (John 15:15-16)! Yes, rejoice. And if our minds need training, look further in Phillippians where Paul continues on what our minds should be filled with, rather than worry or circumstance in order to rejoice and to eventually choose to rest in the peace of the Lord. :
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Let us train our minds in order to guard our hearts and our faith. We desire to bear much fruit for our Lord! In fact, Jesus says in John 15 that he told his disciples to remain in him, in his love, to bear much fruit and to obey his commands “so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (verse 11). Our joy is complete when we are connected, when we are bearing fruit, when we are loving others with the love of Christ and in turn in the love of the Father. It is a beautiful cycle where we rejoice in being chosen, we cast our anxieties to the Lord in prayer that we may be covered with the peace of the Lord to guard our heart against fear and worry in order to remain connected to the vine that we may receive the nutrients of his love and bear the fruit of love to others all so that our joy may be complete! Then we keep on rejoicing, for our joy is in the Lord because of the abundance he lavishes on us! Abundance of love, peace, joy, hope etc.
Peace is essential in connecting with the Spirit; we cannot hear him while our soul is in unrest. While resting in the peace of God, our connection allows us to receive the nutrients the plant (we) needs to bear fruit including faith, hope and love but also opens our ears to hear the word of the Lord through the Spirit. It allows us to hear him as a friend, as a sheep hears his shepherd (Bill Johnson, Created to Hear). I find it fascinating that after this realization, Jesus understands this connection. After informing that the Spirit, the Counselor, will come after he leaves to teach the disciples all things and remind them of everything Jesus said to them, Jesus declares, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:21). Jesus knew of the importance in leaving them with peace not only at his going, but at the Spirit’s coming so with that peace, they could be counseled and comforted by the Spirit. And again as Jesus appears to the disciples in John 21, his first words are of peace which he gives to them: “Peace be with you.” He says this twice even! Peace be yours, my peace be yours because you are being sent. There is an impossible mission before you only made possible with the Holy Spirit which here, receive. Go with this peace and with the Spirit and watch the impossible become possible. Trust me. Have faith in me. Your trust and faith in my power, which you will need to accomplish all I am sending you to do, will be guarded by my peace which will surpass any understanding your mind would ever receive!
In peace, we are given. And we are given in abundance (Eph 3:19)! Only as we are given can we then freely give. One can never give away what one has not been given. Bill Johnson says, “You only have authority over the storms you can sleep through” referencing Jesus sleeping in the boat then being awoken and calming the waves. Peace can only be given to others when we carry that peace within ourselves in any situation. Peace not only allows us to receive but gives us the power to allow the Spirit to work through us in mighty ways: healing the sick, casting out demons, proclaiming truth.
I love the imagery from Isaiah 55 about the interconnectedness of joy and peace and the role the word that comes from the Lord does to sustain and satisfy. The entire chapter is so beautiful inviting all to come and eat, drink and be filled: “Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live…seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near” (verses 3a, 6). He is petitioning to all who hear to come and find the one who makes the soul live and who satisfies all needs. And they will be filled with joy and led in peace:
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Why would we not want to exchange our worry for peace, our unbelief for faith, our power for the power of the Almighty God? Lord, may we not be choked out by worry, but rest peaceably in your loving arms and bearing much fruit for your glory. Praise you Lord for the work you are working in us. I choose joy. Always. Work in me peace that I may hear your voice and obey your commands and in turn that I may be a sign to your name, and all may know I am your disciple, your friend!
No comments:
Post a Comment