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? 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 of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? – Matthew 6:25-27
What would it look like to really have confidence in Jesus’ promise that God watches over us, providing for our needs? Nowhere in the scriptural witness is there any indication that we need to justify our own existence. The whole of the cosmos, down to my silly little life, is a pure gift. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks – and God’s heart is nothing if not abundant. The word of the Lord is joy and peace and fullness of life. The Spirit blows where it will; and the trees grow.
More often than I would care to admit, I am like those that Jeremiah railed against, who trusted in their own anxious ways rather than in God’s selfless giving. Instead of putting my faith in the spring of living water, I build my own broken cisterns that cannot hold water. I fool myself into believing that I can make myself secure by saving up enough of God’s goodness so that I will never have to be vulnerable again. Jesus tells me to wait on the Lord day by day for the things I need – but I want guarantees!
One stumbling block is my own future orientation. His promise is here now, but I want to know what is going to happen six months from now, a decade from now. Seriously, Jesus: What does your retirement plan look like? I want details.
The root of my refusal to trust in God’s abundant love and care is my own need to control. Truth be told, I want more than my daily bread. I want barns and cisterns – insurance and retirement plans. I want to feel like I am in charge of my life. I want to be the one behind the wheel.
These words remind me of the response I felt I received from the Lord after a recent conversation that we were a part of, Micah! The Lord first reminded me that He was the same yesterday, today, and forever, then immediately brought to my mind His words that you quoted about not being concerned about what we shall eat or wear…absolute trust at it’s best… just like you point out…
So in response to what we were warned about future disaster and collapse, the message you have now expanded upon indeed did speak to me in great comfort about real faith not involving fear and moving away from the collapse, but actually staying where He places us and exercising the true faith and trust He alone can bring us….make sense? You’ll recall that conversation I am sure…
I need to re-read this blog but the words seem to bring a great peace and challenge to trust Him who is always in ultimate charge! He’s taken on the responsibility for us Himself! What a relief!
Thanks….
Scott
Dear Scott,
Thank you for your words of encouragement. I felt like you and I were very much of one mind in the conversation that you mentioned, as both of us feel called to move into the city and engage with our urban culture. I’m glad to be a partner with you in this work.