Date: 04-18-2020

Title: Jesus on Anxiety

(S) cripture:
    Matthew 6:25-34 (NASB77) ” For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? 26 ” Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 “And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span? 28 “And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. 30 “But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith? 31 “Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’ 32 “For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

(O) bservation:
    In this part of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is addressing the problem of anxiety. The cure is to understand what you can and cannot control and to see how God provides for all his creation. We are to seek God and live for him and then God will address all the things that make us anxious. He closes this by encouraging us to live today and trust him for tomorrow.

(A) pplication:
    The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a great deal of anxiety in people. The “stay-at-home” orders have many people worried about their jobs, health, family and mental health. These are circumstances that are out of our control for the most part. In this passage Jesus gives us a path forward. As I put into practice verse 33 (seeking first God’s kingdom…), I am reminded of verse 32 (God knows what I need) and therefore verse 34 tells me not to worry about tomorrow but to trust God today. That is how I want to live each day and particularly now in this time of social distancing and stay-at-home.

(P) rayer:
    Lord in times of anxiety and fear remind me of your promise and provision. Help me to seek you first and to trust you for everything. Let me live a non-anxious life as an example to others of your grace. Amen