Are you anxious? Worried?

The Professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see and then asked his students “How much do you think this glass weighs?”

Some guessed a quarter pound. Others guessed half a pound or even a full pound.

“The truth is, we don’t know how much this weighs until I put it on a scale,” said the professor. “But that’s beside the point. My question is this. What would happen if I held this glass of water in my outstretched arm for a few minutes?”

“Probably nothing”, the students replied.

“OK. What would happen if I held this glass of water at arm’s length for an hour?” the professor asked.

“You’d probably begin to feel some aches and pain in your arm,” said one of the students.

“You’re right. Now what would happen if I held it for a day?”

“Your arm would probably go numb.” “You might suffer severe muscle stress.” “Your arm might become paralyzed, and you just might have to go to a hospital for treatment,” guessed some of the students, as they laughed.

“Excellent observations,” said the professor. “But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?”

“No!” was the unanimous class answer.

“Then what caused the muscles in my arm to become stressed and ache?” The students looked puzzled. “What’s the solution? What should I do to alleviate my pain?” asked the professor.

“Put the glass down!” said one of the students.

“Exactly!” said the professor.

Worries in life have much in common with that glass of water. Hold them for a few minutes in your head, and all seems fine. Contemplate your fears for a long time, and they begin to cause aches and even physical discomfort.

Hold onto, and fret about uncertainties for a really long time, and they can paralyze you. They can keep you from real life.

Sadly, that happens to some… when they contemplate the daily news, when they check the stock market, or when they simply consider that their earthly life is finite.

God’s Word has a fairly simple solution for many of life’s worries about things that are out of control.

“Cast all your anxiety on Him, for He cares for you,” says 1 Peter 5:7

Notice, Peter does not say, “Put your worries down.” Rather He peculiarly says, “Place your worries and fears and anxieties on SOMEONE”… namely Him… Christ Jesus.”

And exactly how does one go about doing that? A brief search of Scripture turns up these gems: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6-7

Or Jesus’ invitation, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

Some 2,000 years ago, Jesus took the weight of your sin and mine upon Himself. He did so willingly. He took a punishment upon Himself that you and I deserved. Through faith in Christ, our sin is marked “Debt paid!”.

And as if that wasn’t enough, He also invites… “Cast all your cares upon Me, for I care for You.” 1 Peter 5:7

Did anything change in that glass of water, while it was being held? Nope.

Does anything change in anxieties and worries when we hold onto them for days and weeks? Nope.

Put them down? Better yet, put them all on Him… Christ Jesus.

He can handle your worries just as He did your sin. And He cares for you.

John Lehenbauer, Pastor

Christ Lutheran Church & School

Perry, Georgia

christlutheranperry

@gmail.com

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