Good morning,
This week we will learn more from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6 speaks of the hypocrisy of Israel’s religious leaders in giving, prayer, and fasting. Then Jesus teaches us about investing in the future. Finally, Jesus reminds us that He will meet all our needs.
Trusting one master (24-34)
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
“If I give to God, who will take care of me? God will. Jesus points our attention to the birds. The little birds trust God to take care of them, and we ought to do that, too. Sure, we should exercise judgment, but Jesus said don’t live in such a way that provisions like food and dress and housing are a burden on us. Our Lord said, “Just look at the flower. Look what God does for it” (6:28-29). As God takes care of the flowers and the birds, He takes care of you. Just as He did yesterday, He’ll do today and tomorrow. Put Him first and let Him care for you.” (Through the Bible, Matthew Bible Companion, pgs. 36-37)
When we came to Christ for salvation, we came to Him broken and in need of a Savior. When He redeemed us, He pledged to meet all our needs. ”But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
Do we believe this? If so, we need to live by faith, trusting that our God will take care of us.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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