Greetings in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
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? (Matthew 6:25)
Jesus looked about people with love, and said to them to lay up treasures because the treasures on earth would soon disappear, but the treasure laid up in Heaven would stay with us forever. Then Jesus told them not to be a slave of money. Instead serve God by telling them: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)Like or not, we are those who make a master and serve the master. Even so, we are confused. We think we are our own master. If we are not careful, soon we are working for something on earth, which will disappear as a morning fog that quickly disappears as the sun rises. However, it is also true that before sun rise, the fog is so real to us and as if it would stay with us forever. Yes, we know its fate of the vanity. However, the power of the temptation of earthly things: earthly comfort and earthly desire are so strong that nobody cannot subdue this urge completely. However, if we don’t control it, the urge makes us really ugly. It sends us down to a pit, full of worry, and makes us so anxious about virtually everything in our lives because the urge’s appetite is truly bigger than us.
Then Jesus continued “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life.” (Matthew 6:25a) Jesus clearly knew what people would be ended up. Although people heard the truth, they would choose the world, i.e., money as their master. Thus, Jesus said “Therefore, I tell you.” Then what’s the first sign that we serve the world instead of God? Anxiety — being anxious about our lives on earth.
Temptation of the world is so strong that nobody can resist by one’s own strength alone. The worldly temptations are always with us, and we can touch and feel them. Yes, we see the reality by reflecting ourselves on the truth, soon we forget what we see on the mirror of the truth of God. Then we become like one of those who worship the world. Anxieties overtake us, and suddenly we are surrounded by worries – worries about things on earth: even as basic as whether we have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. (Matthew 6:25) Then our health, our family members, the relationship with them, relatives, friends, colleagues at works, neighbors, and even those who are connected through Facebook and other social media and keeping expanding to virtually everything in our lives. Choosing the world means full of worries and anxieties over our lives on earth. Unfortunately, nobody has ever overcome them by our own might and strength. This is really depressing.
Jesus looked up and pointed at the birds on the air. They freely flew over the people around Him. “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them.” (Matthew 6:26)
It is absolutely true. The birds do not plant, harvest nor have barns to store their harvest. God feeds them. The God who feeds the birds also feeds us bountifully because God loves us more than birds. Why? We are His children. God always provides us the best. Even so, our earth-bounded heart is continuously bringing in worries till we are taken hostage by worries rather than enjoying the best blessings from God.
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Jesus drew the people’s attention to the lilies flowering its beauty on the wilderness. He said “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? (Matthew 6:28-30)Yes, no human can create such a beautiful lily with hands, even King Solomon, the most glorious king known to the people at that time, could not have the splendor and beauty of one small lily that is God’s creation. Nobody can compete with God’s hand. We just awe before His creation.
Jesus explained, “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.” (Matthew 6:31-32) Yes, God, who is omniscient, knows exactly what we need, when, where and why. As the “All I Have Is Christ” Lyrics precisely captures, we blindly run our own “hell-bound race” with all our heart and mind, which are originated from the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life, which is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 John 2:16)
We all believers know this truth. Sadly, the force of the world suddenly comes into our heart and tears apart our heart into two. How wretched we are! This is not just our struggle, but Apostle Paul’s also. Here is what Apostle Paul wrote for us: And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. (Romans 7:18-21)
Yes, we are all weary of the constant fighting of the two in our hearts. As Apostle Paul confessed the principle of life, we suddenly find ourselves taken to hostage of this world although we tried very hard.
Jesus calls us, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) If we are weary on this earth from this battle in us, just look up our eyes and see Jesus who is right next us. His hand is stretched out and is waiting for us. He is one arm length away from us. Just stretch our arm and hold His warm and loving hand. Then fix our eyes on His loving eyes.
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:2a)