Give me a word, Lord: JUST LOOK AROUND

Matthew 6:25-34 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Oh my goodness, there is too much fearmongering going on in this world! I can hardly bear to turn the news on, and don’t even look at the internet. Yes, this world is a scary place, but we really have nothing to fear but fear itself. When I was a little girl, I knew about God. I knew who He was, but I didn’t really know Him. I knew Him to be the epic “I am.” In my youth, I really couldn’t begin to comprehend who He was and is. As I grew up, I realized that He was more that just an unimaginable entity. I began to think of Him as a force. He became someone to me that I could reach out to and someone who listened and acted on my whispers. But now I know, God isn’t merely a pronoun or noun. God isn’t just a verb or an action word. God is alive, and He is everything and everywhere that there is goodness and light because He is goodness and light!

I’ve shared with you before that I used to be a chronic worrier. I had a PhD in worrying! I wasn’t just good at it. I was the best. It took a whole lot of prayer and a whole lot of time, but I have finally overcome my intense passion for worrying. Oh, those seeds of worry still pop up from time to time, but I’ve learned how to shut them down. Turns out, all I need to do is look around! Today’s scripture became my sword for fighting the battle of worry. I have read these verses multiple times through the years and they still bring me great comfort. If we focus on worry and things of this world, we will soon become consumed by it. However, if we look around looking for God, we will see Him. Look at the birds in the sky and the trees. Are they starving to death? Nope! God makes sure they have food to eat and survive. They don’t have to plant a crop and harvest and store up food in a barn. God takes care of them. What about the flowers in the field? They are here today and gone tomorrow, but just look at them! Pick a flower and really look at the beautiful intricate design of it. God took a lot of time out of His busy schedule to create those beautiful flowers, and they only last a short season.

What does this tell us? God cares about the details, y’all. He cares about little birds. He cares about beautiful flowers. And you better bet that if He cares enough to take care of birds and flowers, He is really going to take care of us! He created man in His image. He created us to have a relationship with Him. If that doesn’t speak to you about God’s passion for man, then let me remind you of one more thing. He gave us His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross and rise again so that we may have eternal life with Him! Oh yea, buddy, I believe He cares about us. He cares a lot!

So no matter what circumstance you are facing today, no matter what challenge is coming your way, just remember to look around. God is very near. He may not change your circumstance, but we can definitely trust His plan. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

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