Strength For Today

“Strength for Today”

“I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they” Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They don’t labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 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,, O you of little faith? So don’t 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. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Mt. 6:25-34)

“No worries” is an Australian expression that’s also become popular in this country in recent years. The equivalent American expression might be “no problem,” but I think “no worries” is actually better because it gets at the heart of the matter. In fact, it’s a very biblical attitude: “No need to worry.” That’s really what Jesus is telling us here in this portion of the Sermon on the Mount: “Don’t worry about your life. You’re in good hands. Your Father has it all under control. Just as he cares for the birds or the lilies, so he cares for you.”

When I was a child, I didn’t worry at all--except when I got in trouble and there was a good reason for it! But otherwise I never worried about whether there would be a roof over my head, or food on the table, or clothes to wear. Those things were all provided by my parents simply because I was their child, whom they loved, and I trusted them completely, so much so that I took it all for granted at the time. I’ve read that age 5 is probably the happiest year of a person’s life, for most of us. There’s a photo of me from about that age that I call my “joie de vivre” photo, that reminds me of those carefree years. I’d love to get back to that place of childlike trust and joy.

As Christians, the children of God, God wants us to trust him in the same childlike way. Although now, as adults, we’re keenly aware of life’s fragility. Perhaps it isn’t the necessities like food and clothing and shelter (if we’re fortunate enough to have those blessings), but there’s never a shortage of other things to worry about.

And generally speaking, we all worry too much. (Actually, any amount of worrying is too much. Studies show that only 10-15% of what we worry about ever comes to pass. And not only does it not help anything to worry, but it only creates stress and consequently limits our ability to rise to the challenge when things do go badly.) Worry interferes with our ability to trust God and to enjoy the peace he wants us to have--and to be able to focus and spend our energy on those things that matter most.

As Jesus teaches in this sermon, “The pagans (unbelievers) run after all these things--they worry and stress about their lives for all sorts of reasons--but your heavenly Father knows just what you need. If you seek the higher good of his Kingdom and his righteousness, all the rest will be given to you as well.” In other words, God will always care for us, so we can focus on, and care about, the things of the Spirit. That’s the far more important reality.

And when Jesus says, “You don’t need to worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will take care of itself,” he’s really saying, “Stay in the moment, where God is fully and faithfully present. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” You’ve probably heard the expression, “don’t borrow trouble,” which means don’t worry about all of the “what ifs” we could someday face: a health crisis, a financial setback, the death of a loved one. Don’t borrow trouble from the future. Just take life one day at a time.

As Abraham Lincoln wisely observed, “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” That’s how God has designed life, and for us to live it, so we can stay present with him, today, where he’s with us and his grace is always available and sufficient for our needs. The result is “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,” in the words of the beloved hymn (“Great is Thy Faithfulness”). That’s how it’s supposed to work.