Friday, January 13, 2006

Don't Sweat It...

"Take no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof". Matt. 6:34

What? Don't worry about tomorrow? When you think about it, our culture is so engrained in planning, preparing, conniving, and all sorts of scheming to get ahead and make sure we are protected from any adversity or hardship that may come our way.

Notice in this verse that Jesus did not say - do not plan for tomorrow - but rather not to worry about it. There is a marked difference between planning and worrying, however our peace of mind should not come from the fact that our planning is perfect but instead that we have a faithful God.

Now if we take the words in this verse literally, "Take no thought", then we would have to admit that what Jesus is saying is, don't even think about tomorrow and the needs you will have. In scripture there are underlying principles that are true regardless of time, place, or other temporal situations. Here the principle Jesus is teaching us is daily dependence upon Him for everything we need. Does not our heavenly Father know what we need? Of course He does, but I think the issue becomes one of trust and reliance. Are we willing to depend solely upon Christ for all our needs, not just our spiritual food?

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Are you seeking His kingdom today, and His righteousness? Perhaps the reason the Lord withholds certain things from us is that He knows they will only lead to our destruction. Consider the rich man, when coming to Jesus asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, could not forsake all his riches to follow Christ. He went away sorrowing and missed the blessings of God. Are you seeking the face of Jesus today, or are you simply looking for the blessings that come from His hand?

So while proper planning may be prudent and even necessary in our tech saavy world, we must learn daily dependence upon our heavenly Father for all our needs, both spiritual and physical.


"Give us this day our daily bread".....

"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:19

Lord Jesus, help me to seek your glory today and desire to please you in all I do. Let me serve you not with eye service only but from the heart, that you may be glorified in my life. Amen.

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