Well, this weekend I didn’t know whether I should pull out my skies, wax the toboggan or just curl up under a cozy blanket and dream of sunnier days. I cannot remember the last time we had snow in the month of May. Most of you probably saw the pictures of ice-covered orchards as published in the Simcoe Reformer. And this causes us some concern as we hear rumours of upcoming food shortages. Still, scripture reminds us that we are not to worry. Instead, all of God’s children are to depend upon Him, for He will meet their needs.
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry 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, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one [a]cubit to his [b]stature? 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not [c]arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Mathew 6:25-34).
Folks, in this text, God is revealing our natural inclination to worry. We become anxious, and our anxiety causes us to question His ability to provide for our needs. And so, in order to better instruct us, Jesus commands us to lift our eyes and look at how our heavenly Father cares for every part of His creation; that is every bird, every flower, and every blade of grass.
“Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns. Our heavenly Father feeds them”. He cares for them. He meets every one of their needs. Are we not more valuable than they, Jesus asks? How much more will our heavenly Father care for us? Consider the lilies of the field; how they grow; they neither toil nor spin” and yet Solomon, in all his glory could not compare to how beautiful they are (my paraphrase) “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith
Notice, this is the second time that Jesus uses the standard type of Jewish argument called a qal wahomer- how much more. If God cares for the birds, the flowers, and the grass of the field that is here today and gone tomorrow then how much more will he care for his own beloved children (vs 8,32)?
So… what’s the problem? Verse 30……we lack faith. We doubt God’s ability to care for us; to meet our needs. And perhaps, part of the issue is we want more; more than what we have; more than the basics, more than the next guy…. and so we worry or complain when we don’t have it. Instead of resting in the goodness and faithfulness of our God we either strive to attain more through our own efforts….. or we worry! We act as though our heavenly father is ignorant of the things we need. We act like the unbeliever when we should be seeking God and His kingdom; when we should be concerned about the things that concern Him; knowing that He will care for us in the process. But that will only happen when we grow in our relationship with God. Then and only then does it become less about our desires and more about His. It’s when enjoy a close personal relationship with God that we discover what it means to rest in his goodness, and stand confident in His love.
There really is no need to worry! Besides worrying gets us no where. We can’t add anything to our life by worrying. Jesus points this out in verse 27. Instead we should depend on God. Seek Him for all our needs and avoid borrowing tomorrow’s problems because today has enough of its own. Folks, let me encourage you to seek the Lord and trust Him… in all things….for all things.
Now, just before I close, let me remind you to pray for one another. There are many who are struggling right now, so let us be found faithful in lifting them up before our God.
Blessings
Pastor Mike