Don’t Be Anxious

What enables us to live without worry? In Luke 12, Jesus tells us to consider the activities of 2 elements in nature, the ravens and the lilies, to illustrate God’s ability to provide for our food and clothes.

The Raven: What is the ravens perspective on their livelihood? Where do they get their food? What about the materials for their homes? (Luke 12:24) Jesus says, “They neither sow nor reap, they don’t have storehouses and barns, God feeds them!”

Then, just to make sure we are getting the point, Jesus reminds us, “How much more valuable are you to God than the birds?”

The lilies: How do they get their clothing? They don’t toil or spin. Yet Solomon in all his splendor isn’t as beautiful. God clothes the grass… Jesus doesn’t even call them lilies, he calls them grass that is alive today and gone tomorrow. And again, Jesus point for you and me, ”How much more will God take care of you!”

• Don’t worry about food, you are much more valuable to God than the ravens.
• Don’t worry about clothes, God cares more for you than the lilies.
• Don’t be like the world, they worry about these things. Instead, seek his Kingdom and God will take care of these things!

In the parallel passage in Matthew 6:31-34 Jesus says something similar, “Your father knows that you need these things. But seek first his kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.” In Matthew, he adds verse 34, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”

Looking back at our early years of marriage, I honestly can’t remember how we made it through. We were at Bible school when Andrew was born. No steady job, very little income, no health insurance, etc etc. But, God got us through! Was I worried? Yeah… Did I always trust God? No. As we watch our adult children walk through these first couple years of marriage, we are praying for them to learn to trust God and not to be anxious, as they face similar things that we did.

Jesus challenge from this passage is, when we are feeling anxious to remember the lilies! Think about the ravens. YOU ARE MORE VALUABLE TO GOD than the grass and the birds! Yet God provides for them every day! Don’t live like the world, constantly worried about money and material things. God promises to provide those things! Don’t worry about tomorrow! Seek His Kingdom. Make Him your treasure (Luke 12:34). And let Him take care of the details.