“Worried
About Many Things” by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)
When God saw by their actions how they
turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to
do them; he did not carry it out. (Jonah 3:10)
If you O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered. (Psalm
130:3-4)
“Martha, Martha, you are
anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing.” (Luke 10:41-42)
Piety
Jesus, help me pry my hands from the
wheel and let You drive.
Study
Back in September 2001, my husband
was working overnights. That gave him a lot of daytime hours to watch
television and call me at my job with regular updates on the investigation into
the September 11 attacks. When we were home together, it was all we talked
about. I suspect your conversations might have been the same.
Then came the day he called, talking
a mile a minute about anthrax. Born and bred in South Dakota, all I could think
of was cattle anthrax and I couldn’t understand why that was national news.
When I got home and saw the story on television, I got it.
But I just couldn’t do it anymore
after a week or so. Finally, I said, “Look, I’ll continue to worry about
Al-Qaeda. But you’re going to have to take on anthrax by yourself. I just don’t
have the bandwidth.”
I am worried about many things right
now, mainly things over which I have no control. Maybe they’re not as serious
as terrorists attacking with bacteria or planes, but they’re taking up a great
deal of space in my head and heart and soul. And so I am praying with St.
Martha for the faith to let God take on these things. I know He sees my anxiety
and worry and longs to relieve me. But He can’t do it unless I let Him.
Action
Consider what
Martha’s reaction to Jesus’ rebuke was.
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