Don’t Run For Gatorade - Matthew 6:28-33 Series

What about the birds that starve?

And we had a similar question last week with the birds. What about the birds that starve to death? In fact, not only do some birds starve – ALL birds die. Most of the billions of birds that are alive right now will be dead in a year. So how are we supposed to derive any comfort from thinking about God’s care for us being similar to His care for the birds?

Isn’t it possible that God might let one of His children go hungry? Yes, it is. The Apostle Paul on numerous occasions went hungry for prolonged periods (2 Cor.11:27). In Luke 16 Jesus told a story about a man named Lazarus who was so poor that he was a beggar, longing to eat the crumbs that fell from a rich man’s table, and he was covered with sores and the dogs came and licked his sores. And that man was a believer. So it may very well be God’s plan for you to end up as a beggar covered in sores. How do you overcome worry when you know that it might be His plan for you to suffer all kinds of incredibly painful things in the future? You could lose your spouse, your kids, your money, your health. Usually when people try to help you with worry they do it by assuring you that the thing you are afraid of will not happen.

“Don’t worry, your loved one is going to be just fine.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure everything is going to turn out OK.”

But Jesus is not saying that. When He tells us not to worry about our lives, obviously He is not saying, “Don’t worry about dying because you will never die.” Nor is He saying, “Don’t worry about hard times because they will never come.” In fact, look down at that last sentence of the chapter.

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

There is going to be so much new trouble tomorrow that adding to today’s load of trouble is too much. Does that seem to you like an odd way of comforting a worrier? “Hey, don’t worry – tomorrow will be loaded with trouble.” That is like the comfort He gives us in Luke 21.

Luke 21:16 Some of you to death. 17 All men will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish.

Do not worry – not a hair on your head will perish, you will be just fine – the worst they can do is hate you and abuse you and kill you. What kind of comfort is it when Jesus tells us, “You will suffer, you will be mistreated, you will die – but you do not have anything to worry about because your Father in heaven will take care of you”? If there is a real possibility that all these horribly painful things could happen to me, how does any of this help me overcome worry and anxiety?

Is it just that God promises to meet all your spiritual needs, but not your physical needs? No – look at verse 33.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

All what things?

Matthew 6:31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'