Don’t Worry

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Scripture

 Matt. 6:25   “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. 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 can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?  28 And why do you worry 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 clothed like one of these.  30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’  32 For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matt. 6:34   “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Observation

Jesus teaches us about dependence upon him. He goes through a list of things that we can worry about - food, drink, clothing, tomorrow, etc. But in verse 33 he brings home the truth and the focus for our lives. Strive for the kingdom of God and don’t worry about the other things. Worrying only serves to change our focus from the work of the kingdom to ourselves. So don’t think or worry about what may happen tomorrow, but today — live and work in the kingdom.

Application

I will confess that I’m one of those people who likes to think and plan out into the future and imagine all of the possible scenarios that can occur — from good to bad. I like to think that way so that I can imagine the possible responses to all the possible scenarios. This can be good when it comes to strategic planning, but it can be bad when it comes to worrying because I can begin to worry about things that, more than likely, will never happen. I think that’s why this Scripture speaks so clearly to me.

I need to be reminded to think about today and be in — and live in this day. We are challenged to live in the kingdom today and reach out, minister to and touch those around us. Our responsibility is to seek first the kingdom — seek to get to know the Lord — and then live as reflections of Christ in the world. We are to be the Lord’s servants and he will take care of our personal needs. Not our wants — but our needs.

Trust the Lord today.

Seek to live in the kingdom.

Reflect Jesus.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to live in a place of trust every day. Amen.

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