FEBRUARY 10
DON'T BE ANXIOUS
Matthew 6:31-32
31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (WEB)
The world around us is constantly busy, busy, busy seeking the basic necessities of life. They worry about it. They spend all their time thinking about it, and some are even willing to sacrifice things like family and friendship to attain greater measures of food, clothing and shelter.
Yet in today's Scripture passage, Jesus tells us that we don't have to behave like those in the world do. The reason why the 'Gentiles' spend all their time being anxious about their basic needs is because they are not yet convinced that they have a Father in heaven who has promised to meet all their needs.
Sadly, many believers behave the same way that those in the world do. We think we have to fight and claw and compete to get the scraps that fall from the table, but that is simply not the truth. Jesus plainly tells us that our heavenly Father knows that we need these things and will be faithful to provide them. All we have to do is to simply trust Him to do it.
Of course that doesn't mean that we don't work hard at whatever God has called us to do. In everything that we do, we are to work as unto the Lord. BUT... We don't have to be anxious along the way. We don't have to spend all of our time worrying because we have a Father in heaven who has promised to provide and take care of all our needs!
My prayer today is that we would be reminded who the source of our provision is... While God may use your employer, the government, or some other way to provide for you, the truth is that He is the true ultimate provider in the universe who sends His sunshine and His rain on both the just and the unjust.
Here is the full text of what Jesus was saying in Matthew 6:25-34
25 Therefore, I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? 27 “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? 28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, 29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? 31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient. (WEB)
31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (WEB)
The world around us is constantly busy, busy, busy seeking the basic necessities of life. They worry about it. They spend all their time thinking about it, and some are even willing to sacrifice things like family and friendship to attain greater measures of food, clothing and shelter.
Yet in today's Scripture passage, Jesus tells us that we don't have to behave like those in the world do. The reason why the 'Gentiles' spend all their time being anxious about their basic needs is because they are not yet convinced that they have a Father in heaven who has promised to meet all their needs.
Sadly, many believers behave the same way that those in the world do. We think we have to fight and claw and compete to get the scraps that fall from the table, but that is simply not the truth. Jesus plainly tells us that our heavenly Father knows that we need these things and will be faithful to provide them. All we have to do is to simply trust Him to do it.
Of course that doesn't mean that we don't work hard at whatever God has called us to do. In everything that we do, we are to work as unto the Lord. BUT... We don't have to be anxious along the way. We don't have to spend all of our time worrying because we have a Father in heaven who has promised to provide and take care of all our needs!
My prayer today is that we would be reminded who the source of our provision is... While God may use your employer, the government, or some other way to provide for you, the truth is that He is the true ultimate provider in the universe who sends His sunshine and His rain on both the just and the unjust.
Here is the full text of what Jesus was saying in Matthew 6:25-34
25 Therefore, I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? 27 “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? 28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, 29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? 31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient. (WEB)