6 Do not be anxious ABOUT ANYTHING, (There’s nothing God can’t handle) but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4
DON’T BE ANXIOUS OR AFRAID, LOOK UP TO GOD!
Paul touched on many things in his letter to the Philippians and to us. Our HEAVENLY FATHER wants us to know His Peace in every situation we face. Do I always have it in my life? No, but I believe it’s always available if I stop looking to myself and invite Him to help resolve the problem.
25 ‘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
GOD IS INTERESTED IN YOUR BASIC NEEDS AND THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST GETTING BY!
It’s interesting that the Lord wanted to reassure people from the very outset of His ministry that God CARED FOR HIS CHILDREN.
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?
Jesus was bringing completely new understanding to His listeners sitting around Him by the Sea of Galilee. The God whom they only served by Law given on Mount Sinai, was now to be known as a Father who cared for them. Many people in the Church of today still live as though under Law, trying to please their Father by good works.
15 ‘Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles –
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a GREAT LIGHT;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.’ Matthew 4, quoted from Isaiah 9:1, 2
Jesus final words on the Father’s care and provision for His children moves on from the basics of life to future needs. God was willing and able to help in situations they weren’t yet aware of.
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. Matthew 6
Many of the things we’re inclined to worry about will never come to pass so we shouldn’t bother with them. But our Heavenly Father, yours and mine, is much bigger than anything that will come our way.
We’re not called to be chickens, looking down and scratching in the dirt, but eagles who soar and ride the thermals with the King of this universe. Amen
May the Lord bless and keep you today and every day. Immanuel, God our Father is with us.