Do Not Be Anxious

In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus deals with the problem of anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34). The term “worry” is used in this text? The Greek verb merimnao “signifies to be anxious about, to have a distracting care” (Vine 160). The term deals with the thoughts harbored in the heart. Our English word for “worry” is derived from a German term meaning to strangle or choke. Men become so preoccupied with getting more, they choke the Word of God out of their lives. They are strangled by all the overtime, accumulation of things, to the point they do not have care for their soul, the needs of their neighbor, and the contentment in life with the things they do have.

 

Do Not Fret About Food

First, Jesus said, “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt. 6:25). God made the body of man and knows what it needs. Life does not consist of just the food man eats and the clothing one wears. Excessive thought and concern over daily bodily maintenance does not demonstrate faith in God to whom we are to pray for our daily bread.

God created the birds and man. “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matt. 6:26). If He knows how to take care of them shall He not take care of the very creatures who were made in His image?

Do Not Languish About Longevity

Jesus further argued, “which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matt. 6:27). The word helikian is used either of height (stature) or length of life (age)” (Robertson 59). Either one of these is a good illustration of the utter futility of worrying. The fact is, although worry can not add years to your life, trusting in God can always add life to your years. The truth about worry is that it is more harmful to life of the body than healthful. Any man can worry himself to death over anything. No man can worry himself into more life.

Do Not Care About Clothing

They say clothes make the man. Men and women put a lot of emphasis on what they have to wear. Wearing just the right clothing makes one popular and fashionable. Just as clothing fashion and fame is here today and gone tomorrow so is the grass and flowers of the field. “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matt. 6;28-30). The “grass” is of the every day variety. This is a most fitting comparison to the life of everyday man. “The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever”(Is. 40:7,8). Clothing wears out, goes out of fashion, can be out grown. One day the body will cease to house life and there will be no need for clothing. Being a citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven will result in a new body and new clothes (Phil. 3:20,21; Rev. 3:5).

Do Not Distress – Develop Faith

Distressing over the three-fold triad of daily concerns is forbidden. 1) “What shall we eat?” 2) “What shall we drink?” 3) “What shall we wear?” (Matt. 6:31). An excessive preoccupation with these worldly provisions is not productive. Anxiety over these concerns are fear-thoughts, not fore-thoughts. They must be countered with thoughts of faith. Of the four times the phrase “you of little faith” is found in Matthew’s Gospel all have to do with their anxiety over the minor cares of life.

Do Not Be Anxious – Rely on the Father

Worldly men who live without a relationship with God as their Father concern themselves with human self-sufficiency. Not so with the children of God “for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matt. 6:32). God’s children also work but have a trust and dependence upon God to care for them. Instead of worrying about anything, Christians should talk to their Father in Heaven about everything. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).

Do Not Seek Provisions – Seek First Spiritual

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). “The word ‘seek’ is a present imperative, a command to fulfill a continuing obligation” (Barton 125). It is used in contrast to Gentiles who seek only after the things of this life. In contrast to the lost, Christians are seek to be a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven and practice Kingdom righteousness.

Do Not Fear the Future – Live Today

No one except those in a coma or mindless can escape contemplating what their future holds. Some just live for the moment and are content. Others fret and worry their present lives away. Still children of God trust in God who alone knows the future. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matt. 6:34). Worry is only alive today, but is always focused on life that is yet to be in the future. What a waste of time in that most of what a man will become anxious over will never come to fruition in the future. Tomorrow is a promissory note, yesterday is spent, only today is cold hard cash.

– Daniel R. Vess

 

Does this Sound Familiar

Junior bit the meter man,
Junior bit the cook,
Junior’s anti social now (According to the book).
Junior smashed the clock & lamp,
Junior hacked the tree
(Destructive trends are treated In chapters 2 and 3).
Junior threw his milk at Mom.
Junior screamed for more.
(Notes on self-assertiveness Are found in chapter 4).
Junior tossed his shoes & socks Out into the rain
(Negation, that is normal– Disregard the strain).
Junior set Dad’s shirt on fire,
Whittled Grandpa’s pine.
(That’s to gain attention, See page 89).
Grandpa seized a slipper,
and Yanked Junior ‘cross the knee.
(He’s read nothing but the Bible since 1993)

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Categories: The Forum