Matthew 6:25-34

Matthew 6:25-34 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious 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? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

“Therefore” always means that the next passage is related to a previous one.  These verses on anxiety are then related to what Jesus said about treasure.  Anxiety is often due to having the wrong treasure stored up. 

If we store our treasure in heaven, we have no reason to be anxious.  The treasure is safe.  No one can steal it, and nothing can destroy it.

However, if your treasure is material or worldly, then there is much reason to be anxious.  Material things can be lost, stolen, or destroyed.  Success or popularity can be fleeting.

Another source of anxiety is lack of faith.  God promises to provide all that we need (Philippians 4:19).  Being anxious means either we do not believe God, or we want something other than what God has provided.  If it is the first case, then we are calling God a liar.  If it is the second, then we love the world more than God.

Not being satisfied with God’s provision is an even bigger issue.  The saying goes, ‘God provides for our need, not our greed.”  If we want more than God is providing, then we need to re-examine our desires.  There is a good chance we value the things of the world more than we value the things of God.

It is possible we are lacking because we are not asking.  James 4: 2 says that we do not receive things because we do not ask for them.  Verse 3 goes on to say if we ask but do not receive it may be because our motives are wrong.

Saying that God provides for our needs does not mean that Christians do not suffer.  There are Christians who hunger or are homeless.  As said earlier, God promises to provide what we NEED.  We do not always want what we need.  Jesus needed a cross to fulfill God’s plan for Him.  Jonah needed three days in the belly of a fish.  Both must have been horrible experiences, but they were what they needed.

If we seek after God and trust Him to give us what we need, we will never be anxious.  We will be content with what God provides and our treasure will be safe.

Almighty God, thank you for Your generous and abundant provision.  Let my heart be satisfied with what You give and trust You for what is best.