Does the Bible Really Say That?

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” Chuck is really enjoying his one-year Bible in The Message paraphrase by Eugene Peterson, and a couple of days ago he read this to me. But does the Bible really say that? I recognized it as the favorite verse of my friend Joyce, who died of cancer several years ago. It’s at the very end of Matthew 6.

A day earlier, he read these startling words: “Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply.” (That’s from earlier in the same chapter.)

I didn't sleep very many hours last night, though I went to bed about 8:00. First it was the kemo-induced "poundy head," then opportunistic "details" demanded attention. I really love all my responsibilities, but I need to do them in the daytime, not at night! This time, no encouraging songs came to comfort me. Finally, near morning, I got a picture of a small child drawing near her mother to be comforted, and I remembered that Jesus gave the name "Comforter" to the Holy Spirit. So I prayed, "Holy Spirit, I need your comfort now." That was my last conscious thought until the wake-up alarm sounded. I'll be okay, and if I need more rest, I'm free to come home during the day for it.

For new readers, I should explain my spelling of chemo-therapy. Last year my two young grandchildren sent cards, in which they both wished me well with the "kemo." I thought it was cute, almost like a cartoon character, and much less toxic-sounding than "chemo." So I've been writing about kemo ever since.

Blessings for your day,
Carol