Saturday, August 2, 2008

AN ANXIOUS MIND

Peter Marshal was a Scottish-American preacher. He became pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D. C. in 1937, and twice served as U. S. Senate Chaplain. On one occasion, he broke all precedent for prayer in the United States Senate by praying: "Help us to do our very best this day and be content with today’s troubles, so that we shall not borrow the troubles of tomorrow. Save us from the sin of worrying, lest stomach ulcers be the badge of our lack of faith. Amen."

In Luke 12:29, Christ admonished, "Do not have an anxious mind." The word for "anxious" means, "all up in the air about something," that suggests "hovering between hope and fear, restless." Further, He stated in Matthew 6:25, "Stop perpetually worrying." The word "worry" itself comes from an old German word which means "to choke." Then, through the years, the term came to be used to denote "mental strangulation." Maybe this is why John Wesley stated that he would just as soon swear as to worry.

Once when Martin Luther felt very despondent, he heard a bird singing its evening song. Then he saw it tuck its head under its wing and go to sleep. He remarked, "This little bird has had its supper and now is getting ready to go to sleep, quite content, never troubling itself as to what its food will be or where it will lodge on the morrow. Like David, it abides under the shadow of the Almighty. It sits on its little twig, content, and lets God care."

In 1 Peter 5:7, we are told to "Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." The word "cast" means to throw something away or throw it onto something. The same word is used in Luke 19:35 for throwing garments on a colt in preparation for riding. It expresses a definite act of our will in committing to God our worries, giving them up to Him, and allowing Him to take responsibility. George Mueller reminds us, "The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety."

There is on record in an early Greek manuscript, the name of a man called Titedios Amerimnos. The first name is a proper name. The second name is made up of the word which means "to worry," with the Greek letter Alpha prefixed to it, which makes the word mean the opposite of what it formerly meant. It is thought that this man was a pagan Greek who perpetually worried, but who after being saved, stopped worrying. So he was called, "Titedios, The Man Who Never Worries." Remember, when we put our cares in God’s hands, He puts His peace in our hearts."

(By David Arnold)


I am creating a worry free zone in my life. God bless you. See you in service this weekend.

Pastor Kevin

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