31 Days of Prayer: DAY 8
Wednesday, January 08, 2025
FOCUS VERSE: “Look at the birds in the sky. They don’t sow seed or harvest grain or gather crops into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than they are?” — Matthew 6:26
PRAYER OF PRESENCE: Dear Lord, help me to be present for all you have to offer in this moment. Amen.
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:25-34
HYMN FOR REFLECTION:
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am_ZMcRLLcs
Give Me the Faith Which Can Remove
Charles Wesley, 1707–1788
- Give me the faith which can remove
and sink the mountain to a plain;
give me the childlike praying love,
which longs to build thy house again;
thy love, let it my heart o'er-power,
and all my simple soul devour. - I would the precious time redeem,
and longer live for this alone,
to spend and to be spent for them
who have not yet my Savior known;
fully on these my mission prove,
and only breathe, to breathe thy love. - My talents, gifts, and graces, Lord,
into thy blessed hands receive;
and let me live to preach thy word,
and let me to thy glory live;
my every sacred moment spend
in publishing the sinner's Friend. - Enlarge, inflame, and fill my heart
with boundless charity divine,
so shall I all my strength exert,
and love them with a zeal like thine,
and lead them to thy open side,
the sheep for whom the Shepherd died
REFLECTION
Sometimes I wonder if, after hearing one of Jesus’ teachings, someone in the crowd ever replied, “Easier said than done.” If I were to nominate a teaching for that reply, Jesus’ words about worrying would definitely make the top five: “Don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, what you’ll wear…” (Matthew 6:25). This is beautiful wisdom, and yet putting it into practice can feel like a monumental challenge.
For many of us, worrying seems to be a part of life we accept as normal. A few summers ago, I had the chance to hear a clergy colleague preach for three weeks in a row. After the second week, I noticed he had worn the same clothing. Being the curious person that I am, I looked up previous sermons online, and lo and behold, the same clothing week after week, after week. So, I joked with him, that it seems he had created a uniform for himself. Unceremoniously, he said, “Yes, that way I don’t have to worry about what to wear on Sunday mornings.”
This may sound silly, but until that moment, I hadn’t realized that worrying about Sunday morning attire didn’t have to be a part of the job description. Somehow, it was refreshing to hear that even someone tasked with proclaiming “Don’t worry” as a gospel truth also struggles with it. My colleague’s practical decision to simplify his Sunday wardrobe served as a small, yet profound reminder of the wisdom in Jesus’ teaching.
Worry often sneaks into our lives in ways we don’t even recognize—like fretting over what to wear. It’s not that choosing an outfit is inherently bad, but when small concerns pile up, they can shift our focus from our true purpose, making us prisoners of singular moments, thus distracting us from seeking the Kingdom of God first, as Jesus instructs.
The challenge to let go of worry goes deeper than our clothing. Worry often becomes a default response to the uncertainties of life—finances, relationships, health, or the future. These concerns may seem justified, but Jesus invites us to step into a radically different way of living: one marked by faith and trust in God’s love, care, and provision.
Charles Wesley’s hymn, "Give Me the Faith Which Can Remove," invites us to embody a faith that breaks the cycle of worry. The opening verse cries out: “Give me the faith which can remove / and sink the mountain to a plain; / give me the childlike praying love, / which longs to build thy house again.”
This faith calls us to focus on God's transformative work in our lives and in the world. It shifts our energy from anxiety to love, urging us to redeem our time and live for the sake of those who do not yet know Christ. Faith doesn’t ignore the challenges of life but instead places them in the hands of God, trusting that His grace is sufficient. Like Jesus’ reminder about the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, Wesley’s hymn invites us to recognize that God’s love, care, and provision are unwavering. When we trust God fully, we are free to devote ourselves to what truly matters—loving others, proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ, and working to make the realities of heaven visible on earth.
As we reflect on the teachings of Jesus and the words of Charles Wesley, may we find courage to loosen our grip on worry and embrace a faith that empowers us to seek first the Kingdom of God. In doing so, we trust that God will take care of the rest, freeing us to live lives marked by love, generosity, and peace.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Christ be with me, Christ within me
Christ behind me, Christ before me
Christ beside me, Christ to win me
Christ to comfort me and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger
Christ in hearts of all that love me
Christ in mouth of friend or stranger.
— Patrick of Ireland (386-461)
WEEKLY PRACTICE: Jan 5 - 11 (Sun - Sat)
Confession: Releasing and Seeking Forgiveness in Prayer
Let this week be an opportunity to find hope in letting go. When we confess our sins, it is more than a statement. In fact, while a part of our liturgy every Sunday when we receive communion in worship, when we seek forgiveness we humble ourselves and open ourselves to be able to do more than we thought possible. The preferred practices and patterns of life have room to take root within us when we find freedom from our past failures and shortcomings. It’s like cleaning a home of junk food, when all that’s left are things which are good and pleasing to our bodies then there is plenty of room in the mind to take on the healthier habits and practices already available to us.
May the forgiving power of grace abound and sin no longer make a home in your heart and mind as you confess in your prayers before God and one another among people of faith. Amen.
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