God's Good Pleasure

Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." Luke 12:32-40

I'm as easily drawn into fear as anyone else. When things in my life are all stirred out and no good outcome is certain, I can be captured by fear and worry. God always finds ways to remind me that there is nothing to fear. When I let fear overtake I lose sight of all of God's goodness. From a small child, to an brief encounter with a stranger, God finds ways to remind me not to worry. 

Jesus tells his followers, who he sees as frightened sheep, that it is the "Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom." God's desire is to abundantly bless us. God's aches to shower us with love. Fear can keep us from seeing and knowing this. Clinging tightly to possessions and money can keep us from seeing God's bounteous heart. We are invited today to step away when fear tries to envelope us and know the Divine as one who aches for us to be whole and blessed.

Today I ask God to help me step away from worry and fear. May we cast aside the darkness in our hearts so that God can fill it with overflowing love - love that spills over to everyone we encounter today.