Matthew 6:25-34 ²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁸ And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴ “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

“Why are you worrying about food and clothing?  You’re more important than the birds and flowers – don’t you think I’m big enough to see this and take care of you?  Seek me and my kingdom first, everything else will fall into place.  Be faithful with what I’ve given you and stop worrying about what will happen tomorrow – there’s enough to deal with today.”

I lose sight of God’s sovereignty and care – it’s still a lesson I need to learn.  There is my part to play and my work to do, but He is in control.  I can’t bring things about on my own by my hard work.

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” – how do I do that?  What does that look like?  Preach and teach, raise the kids, be a husband, counsel, disciple, mentor, pray (need to put pray first in that list) – all gospel activities.  “Abide in Christ, pray without ceasing…”

I have so much to still learn…

I have read and taught and preached on these verses ad nauseum, but God continues to speak to me in a fresh way every time I deal with them again.  I have been struggling with these very issues of worry and anxiety (raising kids, finances, people not attending church) and I am quick to get angry and discouraged.  I pray and ask God for His Word and voice, then it hits me when I’m reading and studying with the youth tonight – these words again.