Read Matt 6:16–34
Mat 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do 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?… (27) And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? …(30) But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (31) Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ (32) For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. (33) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (34) “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Earlier in the chapter on prayer Jesus told us that God our Father knows what we need before we ask him. Jesus now picks up on that theme again. If we believe that, then why are we worried about our life, that is the things of our life, food, clothing, shelter? We have a Father in heaven who knows that we need such things. To be anxious is to sin. It is to sin because anxiety is born from unbelief or bad beliefs. How can we be anxious if we believe the Almighty, the Living God, is our Father who loves us and cares for us? But we sin in that we believe instead God is an angry judge seeking to punish and destroy us. It is a lie of the devil.
Your heavenly Father knows what you need and wants to supply it. He will supply it. There are things though that come before earthly needs such as His will, His kingdom and His name. Seeking these things should come first in our life. It generally amazes me that those who come to the Church seeking physical aid 99% of the time are not seeking God’s righteousness or His kingdom. They do not come to Church on a regular if ever basis looking for the greater things, spiritual things. Yet these are the things the Church is never lacking and gives away freely.
Jesus promises if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all these things (food, clothing, shelter) will be added to us. How and where do we seek this? We seek this by faith where He promises to give it, in the Church. In the Church, God’s holy minister gives us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. In baptism he clothes us with the righteousness of Christ and he gives us the kingdom. In His Word, Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit who strengthens our faith and guides us in the path of righteousness. All this, he does freely. So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. Tomorrow can take care of itself. Today has enough trouble and today we are to trust God’s love for us in Christ Jesus and that he’ll take care of us today. He told us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.”
Lord Jesus Christ, help us to cast all our cares on our heavenly Father trusting that He cares for us and grant us faith that we may always be seeking your kingdom and righteousness in the Word and Sacraments you freely give us. Amen.