The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “What If?" for Friday, 30 January 2015 - Scripture: Luke 12:25-30

The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “What If?" for Friday, 30 January 2015 - Scripture: Luke 12:25 Can worry make you live longer?[a] 26 If you don’t have power over small things, why worry about everything else?
27 Look how the wild flowers grow! They don’t work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth[b] wasn’t as well clothed as one of these flowers. 28 God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. Won’t he do even more for you? You have such little faith!
29 Don’t keep worrying about having something to eat or drink. 30 Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father knows what you need.[Footnotes:
12.25 live longer: Or “grow taller.”
12.27 Solomon with all his wealth: The Jewish people thought that Solomon was the richest person who had ever lived.]
Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”[Luke 9:23-24 (NRSV)]
Many times in life I have tormented myself with “What if?” questions, asking, “Where would I be now if only I had made this or that decision?” Other times I worry about the future: “What if this happens or what if that happens?” This habit often leaves me overwhelmed.
However, I’m coming to see that Jesus does not instruct us to live in the future or the past. We can do very little in this moment about either one. Jesus allows us to live fully in the present, where eternity and our current moment in time meet. I think that when Jesus said, “Take up their cross daily,” he meant for us to deal with our present situation, whatever that may be. He tells us to ask for and seek his guidance, and follow him. Jesus Christ is eternal, and from eternity he will shed light on the present situation to show us our way. He may give us only enough clarity and courage to take a single step forward, but it is up to us to “take up” our present situation and take that step. When we look back, we will see that our whole journey was in Jesus’ light.
The Author: Mark Harper Anderson (Pennsylvania, USA)
Thought for the Day: Today, I will follow Jesus — a single step at a time.
Prayer: Dear Lord, please help us to trust in you, that you will guide us through this present time to a glorious eternity. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those burdened by worry and doubt
____________________________