What do you cling to? These days in the midst of anxiety about the world, the church, the community around us, even ourselves, or the people we live with, the temptation to cling to what we know and what is familiar is real. Worry and anxiety are symptoms of the fear that lives in us. The fear that we haven’t done enough, that we don’t have enough, that we aren’t enough.

In Sunday’s gospel, Jesus assures his followers in every generation, “Do not be afraid . . . it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you kingdom.” It is God’s good pleasure for us to embrace the abundant life God intends for us, the church, and God’s beloved world! In the midst of the worries, the anxiety and the fear that grips us, Jesus invites us to release our frightened grip on our money, our possessions, and everything we cling to.

Maybe this would be a good week to practicing letting go in order to be ready to receive God’s abundance. What do you need to release in your life to focus more fully on God? Do you need to declutter your house? Your schedule? Review your priorities? Take a social media Sabbath?  What ways might you or your family let go or reposition some treasure in order to focus your heart on God’s presence?

As Pastor Amy reminded us on Sunday, our value as God’s beloved children is secure. We cannot do anything to make ourselves more, or less, precious to God. We are free to practice letting go . . . and seeing what God has in store for us!