Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Lee Robertson
Basic Needs
If my now-grown son came up to me when he was young and asked, “Dad, do we have the money to pay the rent” or “Dad, is there enough food for us to eat?” I would have not been happy about it. He was worrying for nothing, but his worry told me that he didn’t trust me to provide for our family, and so it is when we worry about “things” that will not be important in the coming kingdom. Think about how God must feel? He owns everything there is and we worry about tomorrow’s needs? Does this insult God? Maybe.
Worry verses Trust
You can’t say you trust God and still worry about things, can you? Is it right to tell God you trust Him and then wring your hands over how you’ll make it tomorrow? No, it’s not, but I’ve been guilty of this too my friends, so you’re not alone. Jesus told us to “not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing” (Matt 6:25). Jesus told us all this because He knows our heart and our tendency to depend on things instead of depending on Him.
Trusting in God
Our money says “In God We Trust” but as a nation, do we really trust God? Why say we trust Him and then put it on our money? Can that really reassure us? No, I don’t think we really show full trust in God when we worry. Many of us do trust God, but not all of us. In fact, money can take the place of God. We trust it to meet our needs, pay the bills, feed our mouths, clothe our bodies, and shelter our family, but God owns it all, doesn’t He? Why would He not be willing to share all good things with us? If only we would trust Him and not what we see with our eyes (including our checkbook ledgers).
Self verses God
I am not sure why my natural tendency is to trust in myself and my own resources more than God and that’s too bad. It shows my heart is not as trusting in God as I thought it should be. Again, Jesus tells us to “not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (matt 6:31-32). All we must do is seek the kingdom of God above all things, which means we seek the King of this kingdom first, and only then will “all these things will be added to you” (Matt 6:33b).
Conclusion
Let us both commit ourselves to trusting in God and not in things; to put trust over worry; and to put God instead of self first, because He has infinitely more resources than we do. Just look around you at the birds of the air. Our “heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they” (Matt 6:26)? Obviously the answer is yes!
