In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus told his disciples, saying:
"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 important than food, and the body more important 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? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies 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, O 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. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Elizabeth Elliot wrote in her book Keep a Quiet Heart: "We're not naturally inclined to love God and seek His Kingdom. Trouble may help to incline us - that is, it may tip us over, put some pressure on us, lean us in the right direction."
How true it is! The sinful, rebellious me is not naturally inclined to seek God. The doubtful me worries every now and then, wondering "Will God give me this? And will He give me that?" Whenever I look back in my life, I am convinced that God is my God and my provider, Lord and Saviour. But when I hit a little barrier in life, I question God again... or when I see a blessing being taken away from me recently, I also questioned God.
Quoting Elizabeth again, "I am convinced without a doubt that a loving Heavenly Father oversees the creative miracles in the inner sanctum of each mother's womb and that in His sovereignity there are no accidents."
(Referring to Deut 8:2-3, 5, 7-9)"The cause of our discontent: We simply do not believe God. The wilderness experience leads to the Promised Land. It is the path God chose for us. His Word is established forever, and He tells us in a thousand ways that His will is our peace, His choice for us will lead to fulfillment and joy and the way of transgressors is hard. Do we suppose that we could find a better way than His?... Be patient. Wait on the Lord for whatever He appoints, wait quietly, wait trustingly. He holds every minut if every hour of every day of every weel of every month of every year in His hands. Thank Him in advance for what the future holds, for He is already there."
The Yahweh God, Creator of the heavens and earth, the God who knitted me in my mother's womb, the God who knows me so intimately and deeply. He knows my every move, my every thought, my every emotion, my every being, my every need. If He clothes even the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, what more will He give me, His beloved child? In fact, He has already given us the best - Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for my sin. What more can I complain? If I trust fully that God is sovereign and that He is the the God of the past, present and future, then He is already in control. What more should I worry? What more should I fret?
Dear loving God, I know you love me deeply. Please forgive my doubtful heart and times where I doubt Your work in my life. My nature is to turn away from You. Thank you for the Holy Spirit which always point me to You and I pray that I will learn to seek Your Kingdom daily. I pray that I will trust in Your daily provisions. For You love me and will give me everything that I need. Sometimes I do not understand why certain things are not good for me to have at a certain time, please help me not to blame You nor throw tantrums at You like a little child. But instead, give me that of child-like faith to trust You and obey You. Amen.
"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 important than food, and the body more important 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? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies 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, O 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. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Elizabeth Elliot wrote in her book Keep a Quiet Heart: "We're not naturally inclined to love God and seek His Kingdom. Trouble may help to incline us - that is, it may tip us over, put some pressure on us, lean us in the right direction."
How true it is! The sinful, rebellious me is not naturally inclined to seek God. The doubtful me worries every now and then, wondering "Will God give me this? And will He give me that?" Whenever I look back in my life, I am convinced that God is my God and my provider, Lord and Saviour. But when I hit a little barrier in life, I question God again... or when I see a blessing being taken away from me recently, I also questioned God.
Quoting Elizabeth again, "I am convinced without a doubt that a loving Heavenly Father oversees the creative miracles in the inner sanctum of each mother's womb and that in His sovereignity there are no accidents."
(Referring to Deut 8:2-3, 5, 7-9)"The cause of our discontent: We simply do not believe God. The wilderness experience leads to the Promised Land. It is the path God chose for us. His Word is established forever, and He tells us in a thousand ways that His will is our peace, His choice for us will lead to fulfillment and joy and the way of transgressors is hard. Do we suppose that we could find a better way than His?... Be patient. Wait on the Lord for whatever He appoints, wait quietly, wait trustingly. He holds every minut if every hour of every day of every weel of every month of every year in His hands. Thank Him in advance for what the future holds, for He is already there."
The Yahweh God, Creator of the heavens and earth, the God who knitted me in my mother's womb, the God who knows me so intimately and deeply. He knows my every move, my every thought, my every emotion, my every being, my every need. If He clothes even the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, what more will He give me, His beloved child? In fact, He has already given us the best - Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for my sin. What more can I complain? If I trust fully that God is sovereign and that He is the the God of the past, present and future, then He is already in control. What more should I worry? What more should I fret?
Dear loving God, I know you love me deeply. Please forgive my doubtful heart and times where I doubt Your work in my life. My nature is to turn away from You. Thank you for the Holy Spirit which always point me to You and I pray that I will learn to seek Your Kingdom daily. I pray that I will trust in Your daily provisions. For You love me and will give me everything that I need. Sometimes I do not understand why certain things are not good for me to have at a certain time, please help me not to blame You nor throw tantrums at You like a little child. But instead, give me that of child-like faith to trust You and obey You. Amen.
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