Exhortation Station

Matthew 6:31-33 (Yeshua speaking)
“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ ³² For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

It is easy to become overwhelmed with all the complications of life. Sometimes it feels impossible to meet all the demands and expectations competing for our attention. Deadlines, financial struggles, family challenges, etc. After a recent conversation with my mom, a simple thought came to me —

Pleasing Yahweh is the only thing on my plate.

All the important stuff boils down to pleasing Yahweh (which of course implies loving, honoring, and obeying Him). All the other demands truly don’t matter in and of themselves. Only what Yahweh requires of us matters (Deut 10:12,13). The other things are only important insofar as they are an outworking of the main thing. I may think my job for today is to get a certain amount accomplished. What if my job is actually to learn patience, trust, humility, boldness, perseverance? I may think my job is to win souls, but maybe my job is to plant seeds. I may think my job is to obtain, but maybe my job is to grow. What if the assignments Yahweh has laid out before me are different than the ones I have concocted in my own mind?

At the end of each day, we can look back with satisfaction if we simply completed the assignments Yahweh had for us that day. And Yahweh’s assignments are doable — not always easy, but doable. Keeping this mindset helps guard against stress and anxiety, because what we choose to do is within our reach. Yahweh would not give us a task and then fail to give us the resources to complete it. Whatever Yahweh asks of you, He will give you precisely what you need to do exactly that. Yahweh strongly supports the one whose heart is completely His (2 Chron 16:9a). The thing to do is something completely within your ability, through Yah’s grace and provision. The things beyond your control are not on your plate.

Simplify. Distill. Purge. Condense. Get back to the heart of the matter.

Success is laid out before you. What are your assignments today?

Luke 10:38-42
Now as they were traveling along, He [Yeshua] entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; ⁴² but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

(Bible passages NASB 1995.)