Anxiety Part III: DO AS YOU HAVE SAID

Read: Genesis 18:1-5, 9-14 

Anxiety Part III: “DO AS YOU HAVE SAID”

Today is the third and final sermon in a sermon series on anxiety. Before we get started, I want to do a little recap on what we have covered thus far just as I did last week. We will start with a short recap. 

The sermon series on anxiety explores three different facets of anxiety: the past, present, and future. The first week we explored the “Haunting Past” and how decisions we make in the past affect us in the present and future. Last week we wrestled with the Christmas weight and how we can manage the excess weight that we carry and use it to our advantage. Today we are going to talk about future anxieties, how they affect us in the present, and how to focus on the present without allowing the future to take control.  

You see, I believe one cannot escape anxiety. It’s part of the world we live in. And, the world continues to throw fuel on it when the flame ignites. However, there are ways to deal with it. There are ways to live with it. And yes friends, there are ways to make the best out of it. Last week I quoted one of my favorite writers when she said, “Anxiety is an old friend.” When I first heard this, I thought “What? An old friend? How could this terrible thing plaguing my life be a friend at all?” Valid question. But, it’s true. There are ways to make use of it. There are ways to gain strength and spiritual growth from it. There are ways to use to your advantage. It can, actually, make life easier. If controlled, it can be healthy. We are going to discuss some of those things. But, if it is not controlled, it will get out of hand. As I mentioned last week, it is much like fire. Fire is a useful tool. We use fire in a controlled environment all of the time. We have used it as a life source since the beginning of time. But, when it’s out of control, what happens? It destroys everything in its path. It doesn’t care who you are, how good you’ve got it, how healthy you are, or how much love, family, or friends you have surrounding you; it will make everything seem worthless when it takes control. That’s anxiety. It’s like fire. And, that’s just how it affects us emotionally. I didn’t mention that it affects us physically. We sometimes get rashes and breakouts on our skin, we get tired, we get moody, or much worse. And, that starts to affect the people around us. It’s taxing, not only to us, but everybody else. Yes, our anxiety hurts other people.

Into the Future!

What about the future scares you? Are there things that you think “might happen” that keep you up at night? Do you have fear of what could potentially happen? Or, do you have fear about what will inevitably happen? Do you ask questions regarding your family, children, spouse? Do you question your future finances and where funds might come from to support your status? Do you worry about the future of our country? It is typically not the questions that have definite answers that bother us. It is the questions that don’t have answers that bother us. Right? Questions such as, what will happen if I fail? What will happen when I no longer have them? What will happen if…. What will happen to them? What will happen to me? 

Wow, I don’t know about you, but I am getting worked up just talking about it. With past anxieties, we can let go. We can make use of present anxieties. But, the future is tough. Why is the future tough? It’s tough because it is unknown and it will always be there. That’s what creates a problem, right? It’s not knowing what will happen. People have made (and loss) billions of dollars from not knowing and trying to guess; it’s called gambling. 

The truth is, when you think about it, not knowing is very uncomfortable and that is why it causes us anxiety. And, this discomfort will consume a person. It is the discomfort that will spread like a fire. It will spread like a fire if it is not controlled. Wait, what? Yes, you can control discomfort. Too much discomfort can become painful and it can start to affect the way you do everything. It can completely paralyze you. But, a little bit of discomfort has some benefits. 

First, let’s talk about a story of a couple of folks that lived uncomfortably. Let’s talk about a couple that had reason to fear the future but stayed focused on a goal. There’s a story about Abraham and Sarah that demonstrates three things. 1) the unknown future and anxieties it might create. 2) Staying focused on a goal. And, 3) gaining strength from what the future will bring.    

Abraham and Sarah were already in their old age when God came to them with a covenant. This covenant is really the foundation of a lot of what we read in the bible. This covenant is like the baptism of the Jewish faith. It sets the stage for a lot of future plots as we study the rest of the bible. And, there are a lot of stories that refer to this covenant. And, Abraham was the chosen person to instate this covenant. This covenant was far different to these people than it would be to us. Even if we were chosen by God and spoken to by God in some manner, it would not be the same. The connection between God and human by this time was through tails passed down through history and told by elders. It was shared by word of mouth. The writer of Genesis expected the reader to assume the implications of this interaction between God and Abraham and what it meant for the creator to form a covenant. At this time, there were no formal documents in regard to God. There was no Torah. That didn’t come until later on. There was no establishment of a physical, earthly, temple for worship. Abraham worshiped a God that had only been talked about. However, Abraham had been listening to this God. God was leading Abraham. But, all of a sudden Abraham is chosen for a divine task and given a responsibility. God creates a covenant with Abraham. If God calls us to a task, if God speaks to us through a person, in a dream, if we have a vision, an epiphany, or a revelation we have a lot of experience with God to depend on. We have the mission of Christ to look toward. Not only that, we have a covenant with Christ that has given us a lot of room to wiggle, (maybe too much, sometimes). But, we know our God and we have thousands of years of documentation (and about 500 hundred years of printing press) telling stories about God. Abraham does not have that. 

God comes to Abraham to form a covenant with him. Now, this covenant thing is tricky. When Abraham agrees to this covenant, he is legally binding himself with God. It is like creating a partnership that cannot be broken. In the modern, western world, we have lost the since of covenant. Our covenants are more like contracts and they have stipulations. This covenant between God and Abraham was not simply bound by law, it was bound by God. There was no walking away from it and each partner, God and Abraham, had to fulfill their roles in this covenant.  

It was relayed to Abraham that he would have to fulfill this covenant and in doing this he would establish a great nation. All of his people would be the foundation of a great nation. In order for this to happen, he would have to have a child. But, as we know, the story tells us two problems. First, he and his wife Sarah are both almost 100 years old (which is very impressive.) Second, it is established by this time in their lives, Sarah cannot have a child.  

Are you feeling me when I say that Sarah and Abraham have a bit of pressure. Abraham has already agreed to this thing with God and the consequences for not upholding his end of the deal are detrimental for he and his wife.

Later, after the agreement is made, Abraham is at his regular place of worship, a place where he’s had encounters with God, and he notices that three men pass by this place. He invites them in and asks them if he can give them food, drink, and rest. He offers them refuge. And one of them responds, “Fine, do as you have said.” Let’s back up. The story says, “Sirs, if you would be so kind, don’t just pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought so you may wash your feet and refresh yourselves under the tree. Let me offer you a little bread so you will feel stronger, and after that you may leave your servant and go on your way—since you have visited your servant.” Abraham says, “Don’t just let me be; don’t overlook me. I am here to entertain your needs. I am here to fulfill your requests. Let me serve you.” And one of the men responds, “Fine. Do as you have said.” 

Do you see what the story teller has done? During a time that Abraham has made this covenant with God and put himself in an uncomfortable position that he did not know if he could fulfill. He did not know how in the world he and his wife were going to produce this child. He’s worried to death and worried about death because he has made this partnership with everything that he knows has given him life and it has the ability to take life away. He trusts in God but he’s a mess. You know the feeling, right? I believe in God, trust in God, I know God, and I want God in my life. So, why am I a mess? Abraham is a mess!

On the brink of all things falling apart and going south, Abraham has some visitors to give him assurance. In the midst of his discomfort, Abraham says, “I will serve you however I need to.” The visitor says, “Just do as you said you would do. This time next year, your wife will have a son.” Abraham fulfilled his part of the covenant with God by serving God. God fulfilled a promise by given them a son. They named him Isaac and the covenant carried on through him. God fulfilled this covenant and because of that, and them focusing on serving God, they gained strength. 

I am sure God knew of the anxiety and discomfort Abraham would have in making this promise. Discomfort can be difficult to maintain. Discomfort makes people worry and it causes stress. But, it caused Abraham to focus on what he said he would do, serve God. Abraham’s covenant was a goal and he knew he had to fulfill that goal. At a time that he might have questioned his future, God said, “Just do as you have said, serve me.”  

That leads me to a story I want to share about Waffle House. When I was eight or nine years old me and my dad stopped at a Waffle House early one morning before participating in a bass fishing tournament. We fished these tournaments for years when I was a little boy. But, we stopped at this Waffle House to eat breakfast early one morning while on our way to the event. Though, it was about 4:00AM, it was very busy with fisherman participating in the tournament. This might have been my first Waffle House experience because I can remember being enamored by the cook. There was only one cook at the stove. He was a younger guy and he was making breakfast for all of these customers. He had a line of tickets above him and he was going to town. This guy was in the zone. He didn’t miss a beat. I mean, it’s been thirty something years ago and the image has stuck with me. He had about ten tickets to make and about that many dishes going at the same time on the stove. This guy might have been under pressure, he might have been uncomfortable, he might have been under stress, but he was focused on what he had to do. He was focused on one thing, fulfilling his goal. And, he made it look easy. 

How do we keep ourselves from being consumed by future anxieties? It is simple; set goals that fulfill a purpose. Set goals that fulfill a covenant. Set goals that you can fulfill but do not allow yourself to get comfortable. Do you think God is going to let you get comfortable? No, because when you are uncomfortable you seek God. Set goals with your family, your spouse, your children, your work, or your service to God. In whatever form it might be in, when you are focused on serving God or a greater good, the other anxieties of the future fade away. It has been to my experience that if you help someone else carry their weight, your weight becomes a little lighter. Stay focused on serving God. 

Do as you have said. We all have a commitment to serve God. That is our goal. That is our focus for the future. When you look into the future, allow the flow of life to happen. Focus on the goal, let God lead you, and do as you have said.