“Do not be anxious about your life…”

Dear Friends,

There are two ways of interpreting Jesus’ saying. The first is to understand it prescriptively; the second is to read it descriptively. It’s either a command, or it’s an explanation of the reality of the kingdom of God.

Receiving this verse as a command is fairly terrifying. Think about the last time someone told you to “relax.” What happened? Or the last time you told someone to “chill out,” what was their reaction? The prescription does not engender its demand.

Thankfully, Jesus is not asking us to invoke mind over matter. He’s not saying, “imagine your anxiety is a dumbbell, set it to the side, and never look back.”

This is good news for me, because since the lock-down I’ve been more anxious than ever. I’ve been worried about my job, my family and friends, I’ve even made up things to worry about.

The message of this text is not, “I know you’re living in extraordinary times, but chill out anyway.” What Jesus is saying is that the kingdom of God is real. So despite your anxieties about the repercussions of Covid-19, the truth of the sovereignty of God gives us hope. For you and I serve the living God who is for us.

So keep taking your anti-anxiety medication, and continue making time for meditation and prayer, but, most importantly, remember that we can’t conjure up “the peace that surpasses all understanding” on our own. We need the power of “the One who raises the dead and calls into existence the peace that does not exist.”

Grace and Peace,

Ben