Easier Said Than Done

I love what I call the Preaching Life. Monday mornings I hurry to my lectionary book, eager to see what the Bible lessons are for the next Sunday. Maybe the seed of an idea sprouts right away, but always, I carry the words around in my head and heart all week, waiting to see what will turn up that fits. Of course, I also pay attention to the historical and theological contexts. But my real question is “How do these lessons relate to the lives of the people who will hear my sermon, and where is God in it all?”

The funny thing is, even though the words I preach are mine, in the middle of saying them, I often realize that I need to pay attention, too. That the things I’m laying out as possibilities for others are possibilities for me, too.

I preached and celebrated Communion at the local Episcopal Senior Community today – Thanksgiving Day. The deacon read these words from the Gospel of Matthew:
Jesus said, "I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?

And I said to the people, “Easier said than done, isn’t it?” They laughed. I did, too. Because it’s true. It’s hard not to worry when you are in pain or having trouble breathing. It’s hard not to worry when your beloved has died or is in early stages of Alzheimer’s. When you have something that’s keeping you awake at night, it’s even hard to pray – no matter how good your intentions or how sturdy your faith.

But I also said this morning:

• We can try to set trust in God alongside fear of the unknown.
• We can remind ourselves, as Matthew says, “. . .indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”
• We can breathe in God, breathe out doubt.
• We can cling to God’s promises, such as, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.”

And, on this Thanksgiving Day, we can thank God for all the sweet blessings of our lives.