2/18/2018
"So don't worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough
trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries."
— Matthew 6:34
KEY THOUGHT: As we ponder these words of Jesus, we must recognize that worry and planning ahead are different things. Jesus said that it is unreasonable not to do some essential planning. (Luke 14:28-31) Still, most of us have battled worry at some point in our lives. We go to bed with that nagging concern about what will happen "tomorrow." (Clearly Jesus is referring to worrying about what will happen in the future and not just literally tomorrow.) It may be a conflict that troubles us. It may be a mess at the office that must be confronted. It may be facing someone who has hurt us or that we have hurt. It may be that financial doubt about paying bills and having to face the note holders. Jesus wants us to let go of our anxiety. We must live in the present moment. There are too many opportunities we could miss today by worrying about what might happen tomorrow. The Lord could come between now and tomorrow and all our worry would have been silliness. The Lord may be at work in the situation today, in ways we can not foresee, and our problems are not as insurmountable as they seem today. Or, even if the bad thing were to happen, our worry will have needlessly stolen the joy out of today. Let's make sure we fill up today with God's Kingdom priorities and then we can deal with tomorrow's mess when, and if, it ever comes.
TODAY'S PRAYER: Almighty and sustaining God, I believe tomorrow is in your hands, so I will rest myself in your grace today as I seek to live for you. Please open my eyes to see the opportunities you provide today so that I can serve you and do your Kingdom work with focus, courage, and clarity. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
TODAY'S VERSE IN CONTEXT: "So I tell you, don't worry about the food you need to live. And don't worry about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more important than food. And the body is more important than clothes. Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or save food in barns. But your heavenly Father feeds those birds. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds. You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it. "And why do you worry about clothes? Look at the flowers in the field. See how they grow. They don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. God clothes the grass in the field like that. That grass is living today, but tomorrow it is thrown into the fire to be burned. So you know that God will clothe you much more. Don't have so little faith! Don't worry and say, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' All the people that don't know God try to get these things. Don't worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need these things. The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing the good things God wants you to do. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. So don't worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries.
Matthew 6:25-34
What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware.
Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center.
All rights reserved.