Reflections on Shuffle-Play
Bills to be paid. Waiting for test results. A loved one in the hospital. A marriage waffling under pressures. How do we not worry when there are so many things to worry about?
The scriptures offer us words of wisdom regarding worry. If we know that God provides for the birds of the air and clothes the grass of the field, then we must trust that God will supply the things we need as well.
And yet, no matter how much we love and trust God, worrying happens. We grow weary. We long for answers instead of questions. We all know what it is like at one time or another to feel troubled, beleaguered, even tormented by worry.
Although Jesus taught this lesson about not worrying, later in scripture we come to find that Jesus knew something very personally about distress, anxiety, and fear about the future. During his time in the Garden at Gethsemane we see Jesus at his most human. It is here that we see him filled with sadness and worry. He was in such anguish as he prayed that the scripture says that his sweat was like drops of blood.
But he ends this time of pained prayer and cries of anguish by finally imploring, “Thy will be done.” Three times the same evening Jesus prays in the garden and each prayer ends up with these words of submission and trust.
It is in these words we find needed insight. Yes, worry happens. But in his pain Jesus teaches us our most valuable lesson about worry: when the day offers us more questions than answers, when our wandering and anxiety seem endless, we pour out our frustrations and troubles to God who loves us and hears us. We pour out our prayers with whatever words and wisdom we have, knowing we can end finally with Jesus words and wisdom, “Thy will be done.”
Running Up That Hill
by Kate Bush
Do you wanna feel how it feels?
Do you wanna know, know that it doesn’t hurt me?
Do you wanna hear about the deal that I’m making?
You
It’s you and me
I’d make a deal with God
And I’d get him to swap our places
Be running up that road
Be running up that hill
Be running up that building
See if I only could, oh
But see how deep the bullet lies
Unaware I’m tearing you asunder
Oh, there is thunder in our hearts
Well tell me, we both matter, don’t we?
You
It’s you and me
It’s you and me won’t be unhappy
I’d make a deal with God
And I’d get him to swap our places
Be running up that road
Be running up that hill
Be running up that building
Say, if I only could, oh
It’s you and me
It’s you and me won’t be unhappy
Let me steal this moment from you now.
C’mon, angel, c’mon, c’mon, darling
Let’s exchange the experience, oh
I’d make a deal with God
And I’d get him to swap our places
I’d be running up that road
Be running up that hill
With no problems
I’d make a deal with God
And I’d get him to swap our places
Be running up that road
Be running up that hill
With no problems
I’d make a deal with God
And I’d get him to swap our places
I’d be running up that road
Be running up that hill
With no problems
Be running up that hill
With no problems
If I only could, I’d be running up that hill