TROUBLED ABOUT TOO MANY THINGS! “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about too many things.”
The New Year, 2021, will find most of us worried and troubled about too many things (and seemingly so) – with COVID, at the top of the list; this pestilence seems to have raised it’s ugly head worse than ever – our governmental system is in a worse state than ever they say; and we’re very concerned as to the outcome, more for our children and grandchildren than for ourselves – we have family members, friends and alas Church members with absolutely no concern for their souls security. The fault of Martha should be a perpetual warning to all of us as Christians. If we desire to grow in grace and to enjoy soul prosperity we must beware of the worries and cares of this world. Except we watch and pray they will insensibly eat up our spirituality and bring leanness to our souls. It is not open sin, or flagrant breaches of God’s commandments alone which lead men to spiritual despair. Far more frequently it is an excessive attention to things in themselves lawful, and the being ‘cumbered about with much serving and worry.’ It seems only right that we care concerning the affairs of this world. It seems so right to provide for our own with health and welfare! It seems so proper to attend to the duties of our station! It is just here that our danger lies. Our worries, our families, our business, our daily callings, our household affairs, our dealings with society, can all become snares to our hearts and draw us away from God. We must take heed to ourselves in these matters. Let us zealously watch the habits of our minds and souls lest we fall into sin unawares. If we value our life in Christ we must hold the world with all its cares and worries with a very loose hand, and beware of allowing anything to have first place in our hearts except Christ Jesus our Lord. We must spend time with our Lord and trust Him with the affairs of life that trouble us. Let us mentally write “poison” on all temporal good things that interfere with our Christian walk. Used in moderation they are blessings for which we can be thankful. Permitted to fill our minds, and trample upon holy things, they become a positive curse. Not trusting our Lord with the things that trouble us in this world is sin. Paul, in his letters to Timothy, gives us good instruction which if heeded will profit the soul and enhance the Kingdom of Christ. “Therefore my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Therefore, you must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Tim.2:1-4). Remember what Jesus our Lord said concerning the seed sown among thorns? “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.” In this New Year may the Lord teach us that “he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps.91:1); and may He cause us to stay there.
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