Pause

Shall we gather at the river, Where bright angel feet have trod; With its crystal tide forever Flowing by the throne of God?

Yes, we’ll gather at the river, The beautiful, the beautiful river; Gather with the saints at the river That flows by the throne of God. – Robert Lowry in “Shall We Gather at the River?” (1864)

Listen

Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Lazarus and his sisters hosted a dinner for him. Martha served and Lazarus was among those who joined him at the table. Then Mary took an extraordinary amount, almost three-quarters of a pound, of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She anointed Jesus’ feet with it, then wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house was filled with the aroma of the perfume. – John 12:1-3

Think

What would happen if you lived without worry for tomorrow? How would your days look if your actions were not defined by a mindset of fear or scarcity? It might look a little something like what we see in the gospel story of Mary and her gift to Jesus. We see a woman who, without reservation or anxiety about tomorrow, gives her all today.

This story illustrates that when we are not living in fear and scarcity, we are able to give more of ourselves. When we serve Jesus in the moment without reservation and believe in the path that God has called us down, our ability to be fully present and fully serving changes dramatically.

When we do this, we do not have to hedge our bets or follow timidly. We are able to go all-in, because in that moment there are no other options, no contingencies, no plan B. There is only God, us, and the holy fragrance of that moment of trust and service. – Stephen Ingram

Pray

Dear God, let me follow Jesus’ words in Matthew and “not worry about tomorrow.” Help me not worry about what may or may not happen, my fears, or my ambitions but to put my full effort into serving you in this moment.

God, help me be fully committed to serving you and following you without reservation, contingency, or fear.

Give me the courage to give myself fully to you here and now.

Amen.

Go

Ere we reach the shining river, Lay we ev’ry burden down; Grace our spirits will deliver, And provide a robe and crown.

Yes, we’ll gather at the river, The beautiful, the beautiful river; Gather with the saints at the river That flows by the throne of God. – Robert Lowry in “Shall We Gather at the River?” (1864)

Writer – Stephen Ingram is a dad, husband, writer, and foodie. He deeply loves his family and enjoys traveling, cooking, and finds entirely too many things interesting. He has served in churches since 1998 and also serves as a lead consultant with Episcopal Ministry Architects. He lives in Birmingham, AL with his wife Mary Liz and their three kids Mary Clare, Patrick, and Nora Grace.