We think of New Year's being like a fresh start, a new beginning, a turning of the page if you will. But what actually is the New year marking? We use a solar calendar so the New Year marks a full orbit of the earth around the sun, 365 days. So the New Year is actually a routine that repeats over and over throughout time, the earth just doing what it has done since the begining of time. Rather than "moving forward" we literally are "going around in circles". Now, don't hate me. You may be thinking "that's depressing! Don't tell me that!" But hear me out. We tend to resist monotony but there is actually something very comforting and blessed about routine, healthy rhythms if you will. God actually embedded rhythm into creation.
I have a theory that we sometimes hate routine because it is a humbling process. We as humans are surrounded by tasks that must be done, only to soon after need to be done yet again. Bathing, for example. It should be done every day. (Some of us are surprised to hear this). Preparing food. Caring for children, pets, homes, and belongings. Even sleep is a routine that our body needs. God has designed us to live within rhythms of routine. We need it. And yet, isn't that just the reminder that we aren't in control? We can't even keep our body from getting hungry or thirsty. It also reminds us that life is really cyclical, which can be depressing since we like to think we are moving and building toward something.
As hours, days, months and years continue to pass us by we are drawn to ask, "What is the point of all this?" Whether consciously or not, we are all seeking the meaning of life. The Westminster catechism is a famous summary of Orthodox Christian doctrine that is compromised of questions and answers. The catechism asks "What is the chief end of man?" And it answers, "Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever."
Some of us are so busy we hardly have the time to stop and take a breath, we are barely keeping it together running from one task to the next. Some of us are struggling through a monotonous season of life, numbly the going through the motions every single day wishing something would change. Some of us feel bored and apathetic as nothing we do seems to matter much and days lie before us without excitement or purpose to energize us. Maybe we distract ourselves with screens and apps and other things. What is the meaning of life that could possibly be common to us all?
Our passage today is a familiar one we've all heard many times, yet I challenge you to open your mind and try to hear it in a fresh new way. It's from Matthew chapter 6 toward the begining of Jesus' public ministry. In Matthew's account after Jesus was baptized by John and tested by Satan he calls his disciples and then begins healing the sick. Jesus draws a crowd and begins what is famously known as the sermon on the mount. Early in this sermon he tackles a daily struggle we all face. He says,
"‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? ‘And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Matthew 6:25-34 NIVUK
It seems like he is talking primarily about a financial concern, and while that certainly is covered in this address, he is speaking much broader than that. The Greek word he uses that is translated here as "worry" is merimnaó. It means, "to be over-anxious; to be anxious about, distracted; to care for." Even the richest person in the world is guilty of that. I find it particularly interesting that this word also means distracted. It has long since bothered me that, just a few chapters later in Matthew's gospel, Jesus warns in his 'parable of the sower' that one of the "thorns" that can choke the good seed is "the worries of this life". Ah. Just trying to live our lives can be such a distraction from the truly important things.
Let's look at that passage again but instead of just 'worry' think of it in terms of distraction. Think about yourself in your day to day life and reflect on the cares of life that often distract you.
"‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? ‘And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Matthew 6:25-34 NIVUK
Jesus tells us the secret here. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. Scholar Tim Mackie of the Bible project summarizes biblical righteousness as "right relationship" with both God and man. So, we make our priority his kingdom, his way of life (the first will be last, leaders who wash people's feet, loving your neighbor as yourself, and so on), and right relationship with God and others which can only be accomplished through dependence on him and the work of the Holy Spirit. And we don't worry about tomorrow, we aren't distracted with what is yet to come, but live in the present moment so that in all the things we do we may glorify God and enjoy him forever.
How do we make room in our lives to enjoy God? Really enjoy Him! How do we make that a priority? For each of us it will look different, but the temptation will be the same to allow life to become a distraction. Ironic since the meaning of life is truly found there. This year will you join me in making the priority not a destination or accomplishing goals, because you can be hitting your calorie goals, crushing it at work, and managing your money well but still missing the point. Rather, let's make our priority to find ways, big or small, to enjoy God in our every day life.
I can't help but think that when we come to the end of our life and we see Jesus face to face we won't be thinking about all of the great programs we ran, projects we completed, or goals we accomplished. Likewise, we won't be worrying about all the dirty dishes we could never keep up with, the emails we forgot to send, or the list of to do's we didn't manage well. As the song says, "and the things of earth become strangely dim in the light of your mercy and grace". When we come face to face with Jesus will he feel like a stranger? Will he sound like a fan complimenting all our hard work he heard about and saw from a distance? Or will he say, "welcome home, my friend. I've been looking forward to your arrival."
The fear of the unknown becomes overshadowed when we face the unknown with the comfort of a familiar friend. Let us invest in the relationship we will be reaping for all eternity, instead of things that pass away. Embrace daily rhythms and don't think of them as a waste of time just because you have to keep doing them, but rather part of life that is beautiful in it's comforting predictability. And in God's promise to take care of us, as our needs come up again and again, and as we imitate him in caring for others. Let us continue in our cyclical path with humility and peace, knowing that God is outside of time and yet he has offered to join us in our daily rhythms.
A Prayer for the New Year:
God, thank you for the rhythms of life. Thank you for the constant reminders that we are not in control, that we are dependant on you for life. As we step into another year help us to embrace the daily, weekly and monthly routines and rhythms that ground us and remind us of these truths. Help us to resist the distractions of this life and to really truly seek your kingdom and right relationship with you and others. Remind us to enjoy you each and every day. Make us more aware of your presence as we go through our lives, busy or bored and everything in between. Help us to turn our eyes upon Jesus and to lock our gaze. We know that without you we can do nothing, help us to remember this. Teach us to walk in humility and grace. Let us taste and see that you are good. Give us the strength to resist the distractions and temptations all around us, and to rest in your goodness. You are good. We love you. Amen.
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