no worries

Matthew 6:31-34
‘…therefore do not worry, saying, “what shall we eat?” or “what shall we drink?” or “what shall we wear?” for after all these things the gentiles seek. for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. but seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. sufficient for the day its own trouble…’

we rarely if ever worry about the precise present moment. our worries are so often concentrated on the as yet unknown future. at such times, we openly or secretly hope for some sort of advance revelation of the future. a sort of ‘divine equivalent’ (hihi.. nice jargon) to those yearly planners that we use to plot out our activities for the year. we want to know in january, for example, what is going to happen in april and how we are going to be able to handle what will happen. or even what is going to happen tomorrow and what we will do about it. our wish is for some divine illumination to make things clear.

Jesus in this passage reminds us that the key to not worrying is to focus on living for Him in the present rather than wondering about the future. honour Him today and you can be assured He will honour you tomorrow. it is not as if we give no thought for the future: those year planners are virtually a necessity. planning ahead is part of responsible living. it is the worrying ourselves about the future, that is the problem!!! the preoccupation with future possibilities that robs us of present opportunities and delights. by all means, plan and pray for the future, but live fully in the present, alive to all that God is doing.
(i know who hold the future)

God tends to give just enough light for what we need. He doesn't switch on the floodlights and so sweep all shadows and uncertainty away. He gives light enough for us to enjoy Him and others in the present. He gives light enough for us to take the next necessary step, enough light for us to live boldly and creatively, but not so much as to imagine we can manage life by our own wit and wisdom. our grandiose five year plans and ambitious programmes are not evil, but are always conditional, always subject to his direction. we walk humbly in the light we have, and are careful not to equate all our own fond floodlit dreams of the future with divine illumination.
("..My grace is sufficient for you.." - 2 Cor 12:9)

we worry about the future when we imagine it is ours to manage or control. we worry because we do not have the "light" to do so. be thankful for the light we have, trusting it is sufficient, trusting that more will be provided as God deems necessary. this is what we understand as walking by faith and not by sight.
(i know whom i have believed)

in one of his New Year messages, King George VI used this famous quote, "I said to the man at the gate of the year, 'give me a light'. he replied, 'put your hand in the hand of God; it will be better than a light and safer than a known way.'"

(by David Reay)