Hello my beloved blog friends, before read my post today I wish to say sorry and will let you know that After this post I will be away from the blog for awhile because I have to prepare my first baby birth. Based on my obstetrician diagnosis, the baby will be born around the 15th of this month. With the humble heart, I ask your prayer so everything will be going well. Thank you so much, God bless you and I love you all!
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (Matthew 6:31-32)
How confident we are with the Bible verses above? Whether we really could say “Amen” to these verses confidently in our daily lives? Whether our lives have been completely clean from all kinds of worries? “I know that God is very concerned and can help in any problems, but as human beings with fleshly nature we will still be able to feel worried” Said my friend, one day. Yes, I somewhat agree with my friend statement. Oftentimes although we know and believe that God really cares and can help us, but still we have worries in our mind. Actually, where the worries come from? Often anxiety comes from the mind that is not maintained properly. We worried about many things in life because we do not know where we should hang our hopes; to whom we can rely on and to whom we trust that can give a definite guarantee so we do not need to be afraid.
This time I would like to take you to explore the Bible verses above more complete. (Matthew 6: 25-34)
Talk about worries, Jesus immediately begins by reminding us to do not worry.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? (Matthew 6:25)
Consider this section carefully. Have not we often behaved like that? We tend to be busy thinking about what we do not have but forget to be grateful for the things that are actually much more important that God has given to us. We think of ‘eat’ and ‘clothing’, said Jesus, but we forgot to take care of actual life is much more important than the fulfillment of a life-support needs. If we are sick and cannot eat, food will be wasted. Or if we can easy get the food, what if our lives are not in God’s guidance, do not walk in His statutes and continue to do the things that hurt God so continue lead us to the eternal perdition?
Jesus gave a very simple example in verses 26 and 28-30. If the birds in the sky do not sow, and not reap, not collect any stock in the barn to be fed by God, If the lilies on the field grow without work and spin are dressed by God very beautiful, even more than the beauty of the clothes Solomon in all his glory, are not we as human beings are created much more special according to his own image and likeness, so we are certainly much more valuable and important in the eyes of God? Then why do we have to worry in the face of life?
Next, the Lord Jesus also reminds us that worries are not any good at all or in vain. Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Verse 27) Worries will not prolong our lives, instead will shorten our lives. Worries will not provide any benefits for us. If we look at Matthew 14:22-33, we will see that Peter was initially walking on the water without problems according to Jesus’ command, but then began to sink, just because he worry felt the wind blows. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30)
When we read the last two verses of Matthew 6, there is interesting things,
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33-34)
Verse 33 is certainly be familiar to us, but unfortunately often used stand alone without looking at the verse that follows and the title of the passage where this verse was. Jesus reminds us of a priority, namely the importance of prioritizing seek the kingdom of God and its righteousness first. But in fact, we often do just the opposite.
We continue to force ourselves to work day and night , even we tend to trapped to commit fraud because we continues to feel deprived, keep looking for other things that believed by world could bring happiness, while in fact, it will automatically be added to us if we have the right priorities in life. This is a very important message to be noticed, but no less important to see the relationship with the next verse which speaks about hardship. By Following Jesus, fully obey His ordinances, and seek His kingdom does not mean that the problem will not necessarily disappear completely from life. God never promised like that but God promised that He always be with us every time. He promised that He be able to help, restore, release, and lavishes blessings to us. Do not ever thinking that our life will hundred percent free from problems and hardship. What Jesus reminded us is that by obeying God, prioritize God above of all else, God will continue to suffice us including in addressing these challenges of life.
My beloved readers, I exactly do not know what kind of worries you have this time. But I really do know that God knows for sure what is our current worries and struggle. Even things that may be too hard to expressed, too difficult to be said, God knows it all! God really hear the cry of our hearts. He cares and through Jesus we have been reminded in order not focus our mind and feelings on the things that worrying, but replacing it by focus on God’s endless mercy. One thing that often become a cause we continually plagued by worries is the lack of our faith to believe.
if that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? (Matthew 6:30)
God already knows what we need even before we ask. We are always in His care and protection. The problem is do we truly believe it and been embedded in our heart and mind? If it was, so we do not have to worry anymore with everything we need. We do not have to worry about the challenges, hardship and any kind of problems.
From the series of verses in Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus wants to change our mindset. He wants us to fill our thoughts and feelings with the following facts:
We often worried about something excessively, but forget the more important things that actually been given by God to us.
Worries are not adding anything into our lives; even more adds problems into our lives.
As human beings we must realize that God really knows us, He cares and puts us in a position far more valuable than the other of His creations.
How important putting God on the right portion and priority in life and not prolong distress within the corridor of our thoughts and feelings.
My dear readers, this evening I would like to ask all of you: Let’s together we change our mindset and our life paradigm to always and continue to give thanks for all the blessings that God has bestowed upon us. Always remember how great God’s love to us so we do not need to worry anymore to live this life. Our lives will not always run smoothly. Tribulation will always be there and probably will come to us at once, but we can remain calm and feel the peace even joy to deal it all if we realize that we are special in God’s sight. Let us declare that there is no place in our hearts and minds for worries because we have God who cares for us, we are important to Him. He is God who understands, He is omniscient, and He is God who longs to bless us and will always take care of us. Keep our mind not only focus on what we need but focus our mind to seek His Kingdom and his righteousness because God promise to us He will give all things we need. Not just give the material that we need but He also give us strength and wisdom to face vary of problems and hardship. Let’s together with full of trust and confidently says, Amen!
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
There is a song that I always hear when worries come to me. This song really encouraged me and reminds us that God always cares, love and He always watches us like He Eyes is on the Sparrow. To watch and hear the song please click to the song title.
Karina – Living by Faith
Photo credit: Wallpapersak.com
A bouquet for Karina
Karina's Thought 