Jesus challenges us: The challenge is to not worry and live for what God wants to accomplish today. God takes care of the flowers and the birds. We see that and know that. And yet we get focused on the wrong things. Jesus sets us straight.
God’s goal: The goal is to put God’s will and desires first. His reign as King is paramount.
- We get there by putting our own desires and goals last.
- We should focus on Jesus and way of love. We can’t go wrong when our main thing is loving God and others first and foremost.
If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—Jesus wants us to know that God will attend to us, take pride in us, do his best for us. God is the loving Father who has our best in mind all the time.
Do we know God is in a good mood? If so, we know how God works. We need to understand in our heart the very nature of God. Once we get that, we will always know how He works. God knows what we need before we can even ask. That is the truth!
May I know both God and how God works.
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious 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? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 6:25–33). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
“First” doesn’t imply permission to seek earthly security after seeking God’s reign. Since God will add “all these things,” disciples should never seek them. So “first” emphasizes seeking God’s reign and righteousness rather than permitting the seeking of other things.
“His righteousness” doesn’t mean the right conduct that God requires on our part, with which “seek” wouldn’t fit since our right conduct stems from doing, not from seeking. Instead, “his righteousness” means right conduct on God’s part by way of vindicating the persecuted disciples of Jesus (see 5:6 with comments).
To seek his vindication is to strive for it by persevering under persecution, which brings economic deprivation that might easily lead to anxiety over food, drink, and clothing. Since vindication won’t come till the final judgment, so too the addition of “all these things” won’t come till then. But that addition is the form which the vindication will take. In the meantime, disciples are to accept the hardship of economic deprivation due to persecution.
Christian Quotations
When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. ~Psalm 94:19 ESV
Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~Matthew 6:33 NIV
Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. ~Luke 10:41–42 KJV
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ~Philippians 4:6 NIV
Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. ~1 Peter 5:7 NRSV
Anxiety has its use, stimulating us to seek with keener longing for that security where peace is complete and unassailable. ~St Augustine of Hippo
Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything short of God and his will for us. ~William Franklin (Billy) Graham
Worry is an intrusion into God’s providence. ~John Edmund Haggai
Anxiety is the interest paid on trouble before it’s due. ~William Ralph Inge
Anxiety is not only a pain which we must ask God to assuage but also a weakness we must ask him to pardon—for he’s told us to take no care for the morrow. ~Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis
The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. ~George Müller
Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow—only today of its strength. ~Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Beware of anxiety. Next to sin, there is nothing that so troubles the mind, strains the heart, distresses the soul and confuses the judgment. ~William Bernard Ullathorne[1]
[1] Manser, M. (Ed.). (2016). Christian Quotations. Martin Manser.
Jesus Quotes and God Thoughts 
Good reminder: “The goal is to put God’s will and desires first.”
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Love the many verses you have us meditate
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“A time, times, and half a time” appears twice in Daniel 7:25 & 12:7 and in Revelation 12:14). The pressure & anxiety from the spiritual battle going on is nearly unbearable at times. Joy is difficult to hold onto when the adversary keeps ripping the carpet out from under the followers of Yeshua.
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