This post is part of a 40-Day Prayer Journey through the season of Lent. Click here to learn more and read other posts in the series.
“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? 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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 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?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. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:25-33).
Worry amid life’s difficulties and hardships comes easily. Trust in those times doesn’t.
Let’s be clear: The problems Jesus mentions in these verses are very real problems we may face in this world. It’s natural for us to be concerned about our lives, food, drink, clothing, and shelter. However, we shouldn’t be worried about such things—that’s the important distinction our Savior makes.
What does worry do? It eats away at our trust, comfort, and assurance that God is watching over us, that he cares about us, that he will provide for us.
So what does our Savior do?
In these verses, he directs our attention to two visible elements of nature to remind us of God’s presence in our lives: the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. The birds don’t sow or reap, and yet God provides food and drink for them. The flowers don’t labor or spin for their clothing, and yet God dresses them with beautiful petals.
If that’s what God does to show his love and care for birds and flowers—the smallest and least of his creation—how much infinitely more he cares for you and me! How much infinitely more he provides for our needs.
How do we know? He directs our attention to the visible display of his love: his Son dying on the cross to take away our sins, rescuing us from our greatest problem. We haven’t sown or reaped for forgiveness, but God gives it freely. We don’t labor or spin for his love, but God gives it to us graciously, for Jesus’ sake.
We don’t have to worry about where we stand with God. We’re his dearly loved children. Heaven is our home, won for us by Jesus. As we focus on him and what he has done for us, we clearly see his love for us.
Today, pray that God would free his people from worry and help them trust in his providence—his rule in their lives for their ultimate, spiritual good. Pray that he would drive out fear and doubt with the comfort of his Word. Pray that he would do the same for you as well.
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Alex Brown is the marketing and content copywriter at Northwestern Publishing House. He has his Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in God’s creation.
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