Matthew 6:25-34

Matthew 6:25-34
I am including this passage here in the beautiful and majestic King James Version. Of course, the truth is the same in the more modern translations, but I have to say I love it in the KJV!

It touches on so many of the issues we tend to worry about every day of our lives, and it shows us that we shouldn't worry about the things God has already promised to provide--food, drink, clothing!
After all, God takes care of the birds and even the wild flowers in the field!  Are we so faithless that we think He doesn't care about us? He knows that we need all these things.

I believe the key verse here is v. 33. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Exactly what does this mean? The notes in the Application Study Bible, p. 1332,  put it this way, "To 'seek the Kingdom of God above all else' means to put God first in your life, to fill your thoughts with his desires, to take his character for your pattern, and to serve and obey him in everything." To put God first requires an active decision on our part, staying in His Word, praying, assembling with other believers as we have the opportunity.

Finally, I will repeat the excellent v. 34 advice from the NIV, "Therefor do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." There is a difference in worry and concern. At least, I think there is. Worry is characterized by fear, even paralyzing fear. One anxious thought leads to another until we're in full panic mode if we're not careful! Concern realizes that there are real problems, but it leads us to solutions. We make plans to work on the things that are in our control, and we take the rest to God and leave it with Him. This is not an easy practice, but the negative effects of worry cannot be ignored. It damages our health and our relationships and most importantly, IT DOESN'T HELP! It solves nothing and only makes us miserable. And so let's heed the advice given us in these verses!

Matthew 6:25-34King James Version (KJV)

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.