Reflections on Luke 12

Words that Jump Out at Me:

Fear   Belong    Poor  Beauty               Heart  Generous

The Prayer   

More often than not, O God, fear creeps in on me just as it did your disciples. Remind us over and over again that when you speak of fear, you call us to your Holiness. Remind us that regardless of the security that we seek, we are not poor but rather have wealth beyond all measure in your generous love.  Through security in you, we belong. Teach us to seek the beauty of the flowers that grow in the fields of life. Give us glad and generous hearts knowing that perfect love casts out fear. Amen.

A phrase or sentence that grabs your attention

Your heart will always be where your treasure is. Luke 12: 24

 Laura Goodrick has a small book called Seeing Red Cars. The idea is that what you focus on is what you get. Jesus taught this principle in Luke 12 when he spoke about our heart and our treasure being intimately connected. Indeed, that which occupies our hearts desire will surely be that which we treasure.

 I often wondered back in an earlier time in my life why, when I was trying to grow my leadership skills that Stephen Covey failed to list this as one of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Maybe that’s what he meant when he taught us to “begin with the end in mind.” However, that seems to miss the mark.

When I was a senior in high school, I was asked to escort one of the homecoming maids in our the high school homecoming court. The way it worked at our school, those who played football were asked to escort the maids in the afternoon. That meant that I would need to wear a coat and tie or a suit.  I desperately wanted a new suit.  I had my heart set on it. My parents, however, were sending my two siblings through college and could not afford a new suit for me. I was too shallow and immature to appreciate the dilemma of my parents. The anguish in my mothers face, wanting to allow me to have a new outfit and not feeling like they could afford one, will forever be etched in my mind.  Mama found a way to buy me a new sport coat, shirt and tie.  I should have realized the attention would be on Rosanna Russell in all of her beauty, not me!

There have been other “treasures” on which I have set my heart. In this Lenten season, I continuously need to repent of those that are not of God. In my own bent toward sinning, I long to be made holy in heart and life.  This, is, I believe at least in part, what John Wesley was calling us to in his call to Sanctification.

Let my heart and mind be wholly focused on the things of God.

 Belief Statements

• I believe that our worth is in God not in the things of this earth.
• I believe that when we share our God is honored.
• I believe that worry is a threat to faith.
• I believe that God desires our faithfulness.
• I believe that what I focus on is what I will get, so I seek to focus on the things of God.