Monday, January 16, 2012
Don’t
Worry…Really?
Matthew
6: 19-34
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on
earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not
destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the
lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of
light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be
full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that
darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the
one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the
other. You cannot serve both God and money. 25 “Therefore I tell
you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your
body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than
clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or
store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much
more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a
single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes?
See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one
of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more
clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What
shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that
you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do
not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has
enough trouble of its own.
Why
is it so easy to worry and so hard not to worry? Sometimes I find myself worrying
about big things and sometimes I find myself worrying about little things. All
I know is that it’s much easier to worry than not to worry. Why?
I
think Jesus knew this was a problem for every human being. Therefore, this teaching is relevant to
everyone. Notice this recurring theme:
Verse 25 – don’t worry about your life.
Verse 27 – Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your
life? Verse 28 – Why do you worry about
your clothes? Verse 31 – So do not worry. Verse 34 – Therefore do not worry.
Five
times Jesus tells us we should not worry about the material things of life –
food and clothing and shelter. He’s saying that these issues should not be a
source of stress in our life. Jesus is
teaching that we should adopt a radically different approach to the details of
life and as we do it should reduce our worry.
I love the fact that Jesus tells us the Father in heaven knows that we
need money, food, clothing and shelter.
He is completely aware of our daily needs. What is Jesus approach to the details of
life?
1)
I should be investing in the eternal. I
should be laying up treasures in heaven. One man said, “You can’t take money
with you after you die; but you can send some ahead.” We can invest in eternal
things…God, His Word and people following God and His Word. Think about this question: When I get to
heaven, which investments are going to be most important to me?
2)
I should know that blessings are spiritual.
Jesus teaches that I can’t serve God and money. Money can give me
temporary blessings but God gives me eternal blessings. When Christ is our
Master we realize that the best things in life are the blessings He gives. We
realize that our inner lives are more important than our outer lives because
the outer perishes the inner man is being renewed day by day. A man’s life does not consist in the
abundance of things he possesses.
3)
I should realize that my care-giver is the Lord. Jesus calls us to reflect on
the birds and the flowers. In doing so he makes the point that the Father feeds
the birds and dresses the flowers.
Answer his question: Are you not much more important than these?
4)
I should focus on the kingdom of God first.
Seek first his kingdom and righteousness and all these things will be
given to you as well.
Think
about these 4 powerful points from Jesus. As I invest in the eternal, realize
that blessings are spiritual, trust Christ as my care-giver and seek his
kingdom first – I can worry less and live more!
Prayer:
Jesus, I don’t want to just know your words but I want to put them into
practice. Thank you for being my care-giver. Thank you that I can trust you and
you will provide for my every need. You are the Good Shepherd. Amen.
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