Matt 6:25-34: “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” NLT
Today, yesterday, not tomorrow….but today. What will you do with today? “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118:24) Life gets busy and it’s easy to get wrapped up in the things of yesterday and the things of tomorrow and forget about today, the moment.
As I read the passage this week I look at it with different eyes. I’ve always looked at it simply with the purpose of encouraging people not to worry about provision because God will take care of that, which is true about this passage. Do you think it’s also possible that this was written because there were those back in this day that were so focused on the things of life that they couldn’t focus on what God wanted them to do today? Maybe the sole purpose of this passage isn’t just to bring comfort that these things would be provided for but maybe the sole purpose is to get the focus off of these things and onto the call of God for their lives?
When we focus on whether or not we have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear, or how to pay the bills, it makes it difficult to focus on what God is calling you to do today. Verse 32 says your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs. He’s not surprised by anything so He wants you and I not to worry about it, and I don’t believe His reason is just so we can be comfortable and not worry but so that we can be concentrated on what we are called to do today. Verse 33 says to seek the Kingdom of God above all else, live righteously, and He will give us everything we need.
Even in your calling, don’t worry about the past and don’t focus so my on the future that you miss today. It’s important to have vision, vision keeps you going, but don’t be so caught up in dream land that you miss what can be right in front of you for today. There are others in the world that need us to focus on today. Don’t miss opportunities because you’re wrapped up in yesterday and tomorrow. Get wrapped up in today and watch your yesterday disappear and your tomorrow be formed.
God is calling his people to today. He wants us to do something, today. He wants us to walk in His calling, today. I challenge you to set your mind on today. When you wake up, ask God to open doors for you, today. Ask Him to use you, today.
Blessings, Steve
