Why Worry?

I’ve been rather amused watching the national news and all the hoop-la about the weather. I grew up on the shore of Lake Ontario and experienced many “lake affects” winter storms. Most of them arrived unannounced as there was no satellite imaging to help predict the weather and forewarn the population. Such storms could lock down everything for several days. Snow wasn’t measured in inches of accumulation but in feet, leaving the tips of automobile radio antennas looking like mini submarine periscopes sticking up out of the deep. I think we worked harder moving snow around all winter than any effort we put forth for our employer, but don’t tell anybody. Some people were pretty good at knowing a storm was coming in by observing the sky. It had this funny blue-black look to it. I shiver just thinking about it. Well, we’ve certainly had our share of cold winter weather so far this year. It’s been several years since we’ve seen it this cold. My five-month-old Chihuahua doesn’t seem to be phased by the weather. As soon as the sun shines, she wants out to play in the yard in spite of my objections to the fact it’s too cold and, or, it’s too wet. So, I put two sweaters on her and two jackets on me and outside we go. I’m the one that gets cold feet first and insist we go back inside where it’s warm, but she thinks it’s a game of keep-away as I try to gather her up. With a little stern persuasion the game is declared and warmth is soon consumed. Her first move is to cuddle up to the heat register in the floor, which takes precedence over all things when air is blowing out. Like little Bella, no matter the weather, I also wanted to be in the out of doors when I was young. I suppose I was comforted by the fact that a warm house awaited me no matter how cold or wet I got.

“Why Worry?” …an Irish proverb. “There are only two things in life to worry about: Whether you are well, or whether you are sick. If you are well, then there is nothing to worry about. But, if you are sick, there are two things to worry about: Whether you are going to get well, or whether you are going to die. If you get well, then there is nothing to worry about. But if you die, there are only two things to worry about: Whether you are going to heaven or whether you are going to hell. If you go to heaven, then you have nothing to worry about. But, if you go to hell: You will be so busy shaking hands with your friends that you won’t have any time to worry. So, Why Worry?"

[Matthew 12:38-42; 16:1-4 & Luke 11:29-32] Today, is the tomorrow, we worried about yesterday. Jesus was approached by folks, who already had all the facts through the writings of the prophets, for a sign from heaven about what was to come. Jesus was that sign from heaven, yet they did not recognize him, or refused to accept him. They were standing out in the cold, unforgiving world, buried in the law with rituals and sacrifices as the only sign left of being the people of God. Jesus came with a message of repentance and forgiveness far greater than any man of God that had come before him. God’s message is to come in out of the cold. Jesus said he is going to prepare a place for those who love and obey God, and he is coming back to take the saved to God’s warm house (John 14:1-4). Most of the world today is playing a game of keep-away, selfishly thinking the one with the most toys is going to be the winner. Jesus said, “Love one another” (John 13:34-35) and “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved (Mark 16:16). I’m comforted in knowing I’ll be safe and warm for eternity.