Devotionals

Do Not Be ANXIOUS

Matthew 6:25-32
ESV
Do Not Be Anxious
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.

Matthew 6, say how we shouldn't worry like pagans because we have a hope and guarantee they don't and we need to understand the promises (yes and amen 2 Corinthians 1:20 ) and power in the name of Jesus.

First, this verse starts with a command. The Bible tell us "Do not be anxious"

Now, we can see this verse and think how it's easier said than done but the Bible gives us insight on why we are not to be anxious.

It asks the important question

-25) Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

This to me a call of gratitude. It points is out our anxiety, ingratitude and worries or points us back to the most important thing. Our life. We have the breath of life, though we don't know what tomorrow holds we can meditate on the fact that God has decided to keep us alive.

We have the breath of life. Others breathed their last today, some need help with this very breath we easily breathe. Some wish we had this very thing. Others who are in hospital wish to be where we are now, breathing well and alive. How valuable it is that God has kept us alive and if we are alive it means God is not done with us and today you have a purpose to fulfil.

26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Jesus now tells us to look up. I see this to mean to me to look above what I'm seeing to see what's happening outside my head, emotions and worries. And to see creation and God's faithfulness in creation. Though God is not obligated to look after us, He does so by the abundance of His love. We can look see how God cares for His creation. Unlike us who damage the world and God's work, the Lord is still faithful to supply rain, to feed, to clothe and to take care is us. We are told throughout scripture about how God takes care of His creation (Psalm 145:9,26)

Now Jesus talks about our value. We are valuable, our lives are valuable that's why we can be grateful for every breath we have. Our purpose is to glorify God and we have callings, we have assignments and things to do on this earth. We are kingdom workers, ambassadors for Christ, we are the light of the world and the salt, we are sons and daughters of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:20, Matthew 5:13-16).

Don't we hold value? We are anxious because we forget that we have a God that doesn't just use people. The enemy uses people too but he doesn't make sure everything works out for their good (Romans 8:28) neither does He promise peace (John 14:27) and neither salvation (Romans 10:9) but God, He takes care of those He uses and those who surrender to His will and way.

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.

Now we are pointed to reflect on the lilies. God takes care of the flowers, the simple beauties of this world that we often admire for their smell and appearance and yet not even Solomon despite his glory, riches, honour and more can be compared to the great work God does with lilies.

But the question is again. If we can trust and see that God has done a wondrous work with flowers, what about us?

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?

Grass, it's something that we regularly cut down and doesn't stay in for long yet God clothes them.

This reminds me of Jonah didn't understand why God had so much compassion for the city of Nineveh. Jonah became concerned about a plant and so God used this to show Jonah how He also cared for Nineveh. You can find this in Jonah 4.

You see God had compassion and love the same way Jonah felt so much pain after losing His plant. But how much more valuable were these lost people to God than the plant to Jonah? Will he not have more compassion for us than when we see our pets hurt or damage on the earth? Doesn't God's heartache more?

Do we have such a faith that believes we hold such great value to God and are more cared for the creation of the universe who so deeply loves us?

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

Jesus started by giving us a command "Do not be anxious" but gave us the reason why. Our importance to God is valuable. We are valuable in His sight, our breath of life has impactful value in the kingdom of heaven and on this earth

32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

And now He talks about how the Gentiles (those who won't know God at the time. Those who weren't jew), seek after these things just like you and me but what makes the difference is we have a Heavenly Father who knows we need them and provides for His children.

We have a hope, we have a faith and promises. God, Jehovah Rapha our Provider knows all our needs and we can have that hope and trust in Him.

We should be like little children. For those who grew up in a good home and had a supply of food as kids, you would see that you barely had to worry about your next day. We weren't there thinking about taxes or how our parents would pay the bill, we didn't do accounts, worry all night wondering if tomorrow we will have bread.

As kids, our main worries weren't about these needs but rather wants because we know we had parents who would take care of all this. We wouldn't worry about work, jobs and business or how the economy is doing at 3 years old because we had parents we trusted took care of all this.

We are privileged as children of God because the rest of the world doesn't have this hope. They place their hope on their money, relationships and jobs which can be taken from them. They place it in people who can lie and betray. They place it on things they own and have to sustain them but none of these things are secure. These things and people can lie, rust, be stolen, betray, harm etc but we have and know a God who can neither lie nor is a son of a man to repent (Numbers 23:19), who is honest, loving, gracious and caring. Who takes care of His, who despite when parents can fail is by their choices or we are betrayed. We have a Father to the fatherless who cares (Psalm 68:5).

We have this hope the world doesn't. It takes faith to see that your situation isn't getting better but yet believe God will take care of it. It's a bold faith and a faith in trust that God will reward those who diligently seek Him and as we seek Him we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). He's near to the brokenhearted and those in pain, He cares for the widows, the orphans and even near to the brokenhearted. He sees us as valuable.

Luke 12:7
ESV
7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

-etty