We live in tough times. People experience loss of jobs, businesses, homes, and loved ones. Have you ever wanted to cry out to God, “Are you there? Do you care? What are we supposed to do now?
Jesus answers our questions. “Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky; they don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?” (Matthew 6:25-27 NIV)
Then He says, “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (Matthew 6:28-29 ESV).
THINK ABOUT IT
Jesus used object lessons to make points in His teaching. When I was in Israel, our guide opened her Bible to this Scripture in Matthew 6 and fanned her hand over what appeared to be red poppies. She said, “Lilies of the field.” I imagined Jesus standing on the grassy hillside where He preached about how foolish it is to worry. That’s when He said, “Consider the lilies of the field . . . ” Maybe He fanned His hand over the red flowers as our guide did.
In the next verses Jesus said, “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?” (Matthew 6:30 ESV). What I believe Jesus says in answer to our anxious questions is, “Yes, I am here. I have never left you and I won’t. I care about what happens to you. I love you, and I want to be your Friend. Will you trust Me to provide for you and protect you? Don’t be anxious. Don’t be afraid.”
PRAY ABOUT IT
Thank you, Lord God, for Jesus. He shows His love and compassion in the Scripture. He is faithful to be with us, even when we are not aware of His presence. O Lord, open our eyes and hearts to His amazing love. Teach us how to love you and others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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