Jesus & The A-Word
I had the privilege of preaching at the Salado Church of Christ last night. They have a summer sermon series about encounters with Jesus. It's supposed to be about the different people He encounters and those experiences. Like the woman at the well, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, and the demon-possessed man. But I was raised to be different and “other” by my father, so instead of finding an encounter of Jesus with a person in the Bible, I sought to speak to something that we all deal with from time to time. It’s the A-word! No not that one! It’s the other one, Anxiety. It’s the hotel we choose to dwell in from time to time. Yes, we all experience it, but God never intended for us to make our home in hotels.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is dealing with an extreme amount of grief, anguish, and anxiety. He is facing the realization that He is about to have to bear the burden of the world. He is facing the very real fact that He is going to be brutalized and treated as less than by a humanity that He loves. In the garden, he prays the same prayer three times, each time taking His cares to the Father. He ultimately trades his “…let this cup pass…” for “…not my will, but yours…”. We must realize that when we have a stay that is the hotel of Anxiety, we do not move our furniture in and put a “Welcome” mat at the door. We take our anxiety to God (Every time it causes us to tremble), submit it to Him, and realign with the will of God. It is only then that we will be able to see what matters and find peace.
I want to give those who were in attendance and you, the reader, something to meditate on in the form of a devotional. Here it is below…
SERMON VIDEO LINK
Anxious, Yet Not Alone: Refusing to move into hotels
A 5-Day Devotional
Day 1 – When You're Worried About the Bills
Matthew 6:26 (ESV)
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
Devotion:
Losing a job can make you question everything. You wonder how you’ll provide, what this means for your future, and if you're going to make it. But here’s what I’ve learned in my own wrestling: God sees. Provision has never been about your paycheck. It has always been about His promise. You are more valuable than birds. So today, even if you're staring at the numbers not adding up, know this—He sees, and He cares.
Prayer Practice:
Open your hands. Say, “Lord, provide for me and my household. Not just what I want, but what I truly need. Help me trust You again.”
Day 2 – When Love Falls Apart
Psalm 34:18 (ESV)
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Devotion:
When marriage collapses or betrayal cuts deep, it's easy to believe you're too damaged for healing. But Jesus knows betrayal too. He was kissed by the one who handed Him over. He gets it. And He doesn't walk away from broken people. He draws near. If your heart is crushed, you’re not disqualified from His love. You're right where His nearness lives.
Prayer Practice:
Light a candle if you can. Sit for a moment. Pray, “Jesus, this hurts. You know betrayal. Help me not to turn bitter. Heal me where no one else sees.”
Day 3 – When Everyone Seems to Be Gone
2 Timothy 4:17 (ESV)
“But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me…”
Devotion:
Jesus came back from prayer three times and found His friends asleep. They were there, but they weren’t present. Some of you know what that feels like. You’ve been ghosted, forgotten, pushed aside. But the Lord stood by Paul, and He stands by you. He is never asleep on you. Never bored with your pain. Never stepping away when it gets hard.
Prayer Practice:
Say out loud, “God, I feel invisible. But I believe You see me. Stand with me like You stood with Paul.”
Day 4 – When You're Afraid of What’s Next
Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…”
Devotion:
The future can freeze you. Whether it’s the health scare, the uncertainty with your kids, or just the weight of all the “what ifs,” fear can own you. Jesus didn’t pretend the cross was easy. He faced it, and He endured it. Why? Because He knew something better was coming. You can walk through fear when your eyes are on the One who already walked ahead of you.
Prayer Practice:
Make a short list of what scares you about tomorrow. Next to each thing, write or say, “Not my will, but Yours, God.”
Day 5 – When You’re Not in Control
Philippians 4:6–7 (ESV)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God… will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Devotion:
Control feels safer. But let’s be honest—most of the time, it’s just a way to mask our fear. Jesus didn’t control the cross. He surrendered to it. And still, He kept praying the same prayer over and over. Surrender isn’t giving up. It’s handing over. That’s what brings peace. Not because everything’s fixed, but because your heart is being guarded while you wait.
Prayer Practice:
Sit down. Breathe. Palms open. Say, “God, I can’t hold this anymore. I give it to You. Give me peace that makes no sense but holds me together.”
