Jesus was quite clear about the blessing available to us as we read Matthew 6:30-33, “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Take these lovely verses in their context: the young Jesus, living in the flowering countryside and relative prosperity of Galilee, is testing the real necessities and true values of life. He enjoys the beauty around him, but sees people so concerned with Mammon (a Semitic word for money or wealth), and worry about tomorrow, that they cannot be in tune with the God who reaches us only in the Now.
Only God is worth our total trust, and God is totally faithful to us. Worries about fashions and menus and diets can take us away from being concerned with the things of God. A prayerful walk among flowers while observing the birds of the air brings this story to life. It’s about recognising what’s really important in life. Even though birds and lilies also wither and die, their lifespan can remind us of where true happiness lies.
Jesus does not just invite me to let my worries and concerns go; he does not want to leave me empty-handed. He offers me a new priority - an eagerness to establish God’s ways, a striving for the kingdom of God.
Lord, show yourself to me in the present moment; I cannot meet you in the past or the future, only here and now. This moment is a channel of your blessing, your grace. Amen
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