I love that the Bible isn't just a book of old stories or an outdated self-help book. Instead, it is “living and active,” “inspired by God,” and helpful for those of us who are seeking Good wisdom, even in the 21st century!
We all worry, but here in Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus addresses worry head-on. Before we consider this passage, let's consider what we've heard Him say so far in Matthew 6:
*Don't practice your religion just so others will be impressed
*God sees what others don't, so keep your eyes fixed on Him
*Talk to Him
*Be careful not to set your heart on temporal things
*Don't act like a “pagan”!
Hmm, I see a trend here - focus on God Himself. I think there's more of that to come.
Matthew 6:25-34
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? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 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? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
So Jesus is doing a few things here:
First, He's using His creation to make a point. Just like it would be silly for us to picture birds worrying over their feathers as winter approaches, or flowers to fuss about how and when their buds blossom, Jesus is saying that it makes no sense for us to worry about our needs. Again, like in past sections, He reminds us that “pagans,” or those outside of the faith, worry about these kinds of things. But those who follow Christ can live in relationship with a “heavenly Father” who loves them, sees their needs, and promises to provide for them.
That leads to the second thing Jesus is doing here: reaffirming God’s love for us. Fathers have a God-given responsibility to provide for and to protect their families. In a broken world, not everyone experiences that as they grow up - some have wonderful fathers who live out their roles as dads well (not perfectly), but others do not have protective, loving fathers, and yet others have a gap in their lives where a father should have been. No matter what kind of background we're from, God wants us to trust Him as our heavenly Father - one who is good and loving and able to meet our needs. Are we “not much more valuable than” all of creation? Indeed, we are!
And thirdly, Jesus explains the antidote for worry: seek Him first. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus warned His listeners not to seek praise from others or to pursue treasures on earth, not because it's wrong for someone to compliment us or for us to earn a paycheck. But, as the mathematician Blaise Pascal once said, “inside of every man is a God-shaped void that only He can fill.” We all seek something. The word translated here in v. 33 as “seek,” also means search for, desire, demand. When we actively seek God, we'll get to know Him and experience the love of our heavenly Father. But it's up to us to choose to seek Him.
Discussion
How can this make a difference in my life?
1. “Catch yourself” worrying. What do you worry about? Look at Philippians 4:6a - what command is there? Why is it significant that this is a command?
2. How can it help to consider nature when we worry? Read Psalm 19:1-4. Have you ever experienced some extra peace or calm in an outdoor setting? How could you carve out time to consider God's goodness in His creation?
3. “Seek Him” - look at the following verses. How do they speak to the idea of seeking God first? Mark 1:35, James 4:8a, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:4-7 What one thing can you do this week to seek Him?
So Jesus is doing a few things here:
First, He's using His creation to make a point. Just like it would be silly for us to picture birds worrying over their feathers as winter approaches, or flowers to fuss about how and when their buds blossom, Jesus is saying that it makes no sense for us to worry about our needs. Again, like in past sections, He reminds us that “pagans,” or those outside of the faith, worry about these kinds of things. But those who follow Christ can live in relationship with a “heavenly Father” who loves them, sees their needs, and promises to provide for them.
That leads to the second thing Jesus is doing here: reaffirming God’s love for us. Fathers have a God-given responsibility to provide for and to protect their families. In a broken world, not everyone experiences that as they grow up - some have wonderful fathers who live out their roles as dads well (not perfectly), but others do not have protective, loving fathers, and yet others have a gap in their lives where a father should have been. No matter what kind of background we're from, God wants us to trust Him as our heavenly Father - one who is good and loving and able to meet our needs. Are we “not much more valuable than” all of creation? Indeed, we are!
And thirdly, Jesus explains the antidote for worry: seek Him first. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus warned His listeners not to seek praise from others or to pursue treasures on earth, not because it's wrong for someone to compliment us or for us to earn a paycheck. But, as the mathematician Blaise Pascal once said, “inside of every man is a God-shaped void that only He can fill.” We all seek something. The word translated here in v. 33 as “seek,” also means search for, desire, demand. When we actively seek God, we'll get to know Him and experience the love of our heavenly Father. But it's up to us to choose to seek Him.
Discussion
How can this make a difference in my life?
1. “Catch yourself” worrying. What do you worry about? Look at Philippians 4:6a - what command is there? Why is it significant that this is a command?
2. How can it help to consider nature when we worry? Read Psalm 19:1-4. Have you ever experienced some extra peace or calm in an outdoor setting? How could you carve out time to consider God's goodness in His creation?
3. “Seek Him” - look at the following verses. How do they speak to the idea of seeking God first? Mark 1:35, James 4:8a, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:4-7 What one thing can you do this week to seek Him?
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