If you’re feeling energetic today you should try reading an entire book in the Bible. In less than 15 minutes you could read the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians – and believe me, you won’t be disappointed. It’s rich and beautiful. If you underlined every phrase or verse you enjoyed, there would be more underlined than not underlined. One of the phrases that caused me to slam on my brakes this morning and back up to read and re-read the words was this one:

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Have you ever tried writing a poem? I’ve tried once or twice but really poetry isn’t my thing. I hope no band ever approaches me to be their song writer. I’d be given my walking ticket the day I was hired! But I was reading some lyrics this morning that really impressed me. The first few lines went like this:

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Have you been biting your fingernails lately, worried that you could lose your salvation? Worried that somehow you might be the one who falls between the cracks and misses heaven after all? Or perhaps you are worried that He is going to change His mind over you because you have really (!!!) failed.

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Is my commitment to the Lord conditional on God giving me a good life in return? Am I willing to commit my life to the Lord as long as He gets me a beautiful girlfriend, or helps me get the job I always dreamed about, or the set of wheels I’ve drooled over in car mags? But let’s say – you end up single at 30, or you end up working at the city pool picking up garbage? What happens if the motor in your new truck goes up in smoke? Are you still committed to living for the Lord?

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Jake: “I’m not worried in the least. I trust him 100% – I’m sure he’s got no agenda. He’s sincere. He just wants to be a blessing. I felt like scum until he came on the scene and now all of a sudden he’s talking to me and sympathizing with me. He said that if he had been the judge when my case came up, he would have ruled in my favor! Finally someone understands me.”

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“My bank account is bursting at the seams. The estate was settled and my portion of the inheritance far exceeded my expectations. Thousands and thousands. I’ve never had it so good. But really, it takes too much effort to find a new house and buy a new car. There’s so much red tape. I think I’ll just put up with our little shack and rusted out tin lizzy with bald tires. I hate the bank thing. All the paper work. And then there’s the pain of finding the cheque book in the drawer and the hassle of tracking down a pen (I’m always losing pens!). I never did like writing and I find it hard to write with my crooked index finger. I am happy just the way I am. To access the money in my account and to do something with it, well – it’s just too much bother. It’s not worth it!”

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Some toss and turn on their beds. But often it’s not insomnia - it’s fear. Some are in constant need of massages to relax the muscles in their shoulders and their neck – overly tense about something. Anxious, fretting, worried and wondering if God is going to let things spin out of control in their lives. Maybe you are right there today. No matter how much faith you try to muster up inside and no matter how many times you pray and confess your sins, you just don’t have the confidence that God has everything under control.

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I am not sure why Bobby McFerrin’s song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” ever became a huge hit back in 1988. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the entire song – just bits and pieces of it here and there. Here’s a snippet of his popular ditty:

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When money is involved we can never be too careful. A prominent lawyer for well-heeled, rich and famous seniors confessed in court that “there was something evil inside” him. He was charged for helping himself to grossly excessive fees from a deep-pocketed client. He later told a Disciplinary Committee: “I always had to watch these bad things inside me. I had to realize that I had not only breached ethics, but that something evil was inside me. I had to manage it.” Hopefully he learned from his experience. But what he was saying about himself – applies to me and you as well. We all have the capacity to covet, steal and be dishonest and slippery with cash. We all have the inner potential to play around with the figures, juggle the numbers and cook the books to our advantage.

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