before i begin, let me just say that on my way home from work today, i spied leaves changing color at the tips of some of the trees!
and now.
last year at the jcc, one of my favorite kiddos saw my Bible out on the "teacher table" (i had likely been reading it before the kids got there and simply hadn't put it back in my bag yet). anyway, she begged me to let her read it and to read it to her. she called it my "black book" and we read it together several times throughout the course of the year. being that she was 3 and all, i'm not sure how much she actually understood -- or even if she really knew what we were reading.
this year, i have most of the same kids in my class, which is both absolutely amazing and really weird for the jcc. the other day, this same girl up and asked me where my Bible was. out of the blue asked if i had it with me and could she read it. although i didn't have it with me that day, i told her i'd bring it with me the next day (which i did, but she didn't remember). i've started telling the kids a Bible story on fridays before our shabbat sing along, so i had my Bible with me. needless to say, she asked to have it.
well, today during center time, she came up to me and asked if she could read my Bible. and when i say she reads it, i mean she opens it to a random page, points and has me read it. she's 4. because of this, i never know where we're going to end up -- genesis, 2nd peter, matthew, esther...it could be anything.
today, she turned to two separate passages.
the first:
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7
(this chapter later continues with "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" and is on the page opposite of "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." colossians 1: 13-14. i didn't notice these at the time, but i am seeing them now).
the second:
"For this reason, I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more important than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
matthew 6:25-34
i'm sensing a theme here, are you?
if you know me, you know that i'm a worrier -- maybe not as much as some, but definitely more than is necessary or healthy. lately the worry -- well, maybe its anxiousness rather than worry -- has been in overdrive. as i got caught in traffic on the way to work today, i was kind of praying, kind of frustrated and not really thinking about anything, and i just asked God where He was. i don't remember saying anything else, but i know that i've definitely been overly concerned with things lately.
so here was my answer:
"The Lord is near."
right there in the first passage.
along with a whole lot of "don't worry's" thrown in.
The Lord is near. Don't be anxious.
and now.
last year at the jcc, one of my favorite kiddos saw my Bible out on the "teacher table" (i had likely been reading it before the kids got there and simply hadn't put it back in my bag yet). anyway, she begged me to let her read it and to read it to her. she called it my "black book" and we read it together several times throughout the course of the year. being that she was 3 and all, i'm not sure how much she actually understood -- or even if she really knew what we were reading.
this year, i have most of the same kids in my class, which is both absolutely amazing and really weird for the jcc. the other day, this same girl up and asked me where my Bible was. out of the blue asked if i had it with me and could she read it. although i didn't have it with me that day, i told her i'd bring it with me the next day (which i did, but she didn't remember). i've started telling the kids a Bible story on fridays before our shabbat sing along, so i had my Bible with me. needless to say, she asked to have it.
well, today during center time, she came up to me and asked if she could read my Bible. and when i say she reads it, i mean she opens it to a random page, points and has me read it. she's 4. because of this, i never know where we're going to end up -- genesis, 2nd peter, matthew, esther...it could be anything.
today, she turned to two separate passages.
the first:
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7
(this chapter later continues with "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" and is on the page opposite of "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." colossians 1: 13-14. i didn't notice these at the time, but i am seeing them now).
the second:
"For this reason, I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more important than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
matthew 6:25-34
i'm sensing a theme here, are you?
if you know me, you know that i'm a worrier -- maybe not as much as some, but definitely more than is necessary or healthy. lately the worry -- well, maybe its anxiousness rather than worry -- has been in overdrive. as i got caught in traffic on the way to work today, i was kind of praying, kind of frustrated and not really thinking about anything, and i just asked God where He was. i don't remember saying anything else, but i know that i've definitely been overly concerned with things lately.
so here was my answer:
"The Lord is near."
right there in the first passage.
along with a whole lot of "don't worry's" thrown in.
The Lord is near. Don't be anxious.
Comments
God is good!
I am also thankful that you shared this!