Published 3/17/20
Read Matthew 6:25-27
"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" (NIV)
Reflect
Is Jesus Christ the foundation of your life? Do you trust Him?
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gives us a pretty full picture of how our lives as Christ-followers should look. He speaks of being salt and light, caring for the needy, prayer, and fasting before coming to the topic of money and possessions. Then he addresses our tendency to worry.
Jesus gently reminds us that worrying is just plain pointless. Our Father knows what we need, loves us, and will care for us just as he cares for the birds. Yes, there are uncertainties in life. While we don't have ultimate control, we know Who does and He's always focused on what is best for us. The question in verse twenty-seven gets to the heart of why worry is pointless: It doesn't change anything.
We can TRUST Christ in the midst of a crisis. We can find comfort in the fact that we're not the ones in control. "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him" (Nahum 1:7).
We can TRUST that He has not abandoned us. In times of distress we can call out to Him and He will give us the power of the Holy Spirit. "Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit' " (John 20:21-22).
We Can TRUST His Word When Life Feels Out of Control: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Pray
Lord, help me to give up worry. Help me to understand that You will never give us more than we can bear. You will always watch over us with a steady eye. Help me to trust You. Amen