Why Do I Worry? God's Not Worried.
I am sure we all woke up this morning, looked at the news or Facebook, and found out there were more updates on this virus. Although this coronavirus has been in news headlines for a few months now, the past two weeks have seen a dramatic change in our day to day lives. I read this morning that the k-12 schools in Kansas have shut down for the rest of this academic year. This morning Governor Northam has given law enforcement the ability to exercise authority in limiting public gatherings to fewer than ten people in restaurants, movies, and fitness centers.
Many of us have started worrying about things that we always took for granted. I know for me it was routine to wake up Sunday morning and go to church, to go to the grocery store and assume they had everything on my list, and wake up each day to go to work. But now worry has crept into our everyday lives. There is uncertainty in so many aspects of our lives and what tomorrow may bring.
This semester I started working on my Ph. D and I am taking a Greek class on the sermon on the mount found in Matthew 5-7, where each day, we translate a section of verses from the Greek New Testament into English and then discuss its meaning. Well, this past week, we were in Matthew 6:25-34. The Sermon on the Mount is a teaching of Jesus in Matthew, where he shares with the crowd what it means to be a part of God’s kingdom. When we get to this passage, it starts with, “don’t worry about your life.” In 2013 I was diagnosed with anxiety after having several panic attacks, and every time I read this passage, I think to myself, “but Jesus, I am so worried about [fill in worry here].” Jesus goes on to describe how God cares for the most forgotten things of the world, the birds, and the wildflowers, and yet he takes care of all their needs. The point Jesus is making here is if God knows what the most forgotten things in the world need, how much more does he know what we need as his children. Jesus then tells us instead of thinking about our needs, we should be thinking and seeking something else. That something else is “but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore, don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Instead of being caught up in the worries and unknown of tomorrow, Jesus asks his followers to focus on the most important thing, himself.
The challenge I want to offer each of us today is how can you live today, not in worry of the unknown of tomorrow? But today, seeking Jesus above all us. Maybe that is spending a little extra time today in prayer, giving your worries to Jesus as 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to “cast all your cares on him because he cares about you.” Maybe that is showing love to your neighbors and people in your life group by checking in on them and seeing if they have a need you can meet. Invite your kids/students to join you as you do those things, challenge them to do the same for their peers as well. Today, as a church, let’s worship God together by giving Him our worries and being thankful for all that he provides.
Here is a song that you and your family can worship today while living out Matthew 6:25-35.
For His Glory,
Sean Best
College Pastor