Posted on 04/06/2022 2:30:01 PM PDT by metmom
These words of Jesus touch my soul: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matthew 6:31-32, NKJV).
Jesus is warning about the heathen tendency to worry. He tells us that worry over our job, family, future or survival is a heathen’s way of living. It is the attitude of those who have no heavenly Father. They do not know God as he desires to be known, as a caring, providing, loving Father in heaven. To all who believe, it is not enough to know God only as the Almighty, the Creator, the Lord of all. He also wants us to know him as our heavenly Father.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). With these plain words, Jesus commands us, “Do not give a thought, a single worry, to what may or may not happen tomorrow. You can’t help anything by worrying. When you fret, you’re only doing as the heathen do.”
We are to go on loving Jesus. We are to move on, casting all our cares on him, rest in his faithfulness. Our heavenly Father will see to it that we are supplied with all the essential things of life.
I wonder if the angels are baffled by all the worry and anxiousness of those who claim to trust in the Lord. To those celestial beings, it must seem insulting to God that we worry as if we had no caring Father in heaven. What perplexing questions the angels must ask among themselves like “Do they not know the Father sends us to take charge of them in times of danger? How can they fret and worry when they know God possesses all power, all wealth, and can supply the needs of all creation? How can they accuse their heavenly Father of neglect as if he isn’t true to his Word?”
The birds sing, while we complain and speak of fear and anxiety. The lilies of the field stand tall in their glory, while we wilt and bend before the smallest wind of adversity. You most definitely have a heavenly Father. Trust in him!
The Return ping
(Actually, God required the Jews to gather manna and quail, even though He provided both, required them to labor for what they ate, pre-capitulating 2 Thess 3:10. Also, he gave Joseph the prophetic gift and wisdom to protect Egypt and Israel from a MAJOR famine by storing grain for 7 years. So, people that say stuff like this, doesn't understand what Jesus was trying to say.)
And in the sixth year, the year before the year of Jubilee, God promised to give them a threefold increase to carry them through the time they were no actively growing crops.
So what do you think Jesus was “trying” (trying?) to say?
Not speaking for backwoods-engineer, but there does seem to be a lot of confusion over this passage. I think it is about not worrying about tomorrow, “worry” being an important part of the message.
The birds of the field don’t worry about tomorrow. But they do go home to their nests that they have built carefully and with great effort. They do have to search every day for food. They just don’t lie awake in their nests at night worrying about tomorrow. But the Lord is not going to go around at night leaving manna for them to find. They still have to find food.
Like sparrows, we should do our best to provide necessities for ourselves, but instead of worrying about tomorrow, spend that time in prayer and in thankfulness for the blessings we did receive that day. As well as praying for our daily bread for tomorrow.
Just my thoughts.
I know what you mean. And that’s what I saw in the devotional text, too—that it was talking about worry.
But I can also see, too, where the disagreements come in — what and how much should Christians “lay up” for life in this world.
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