How are you doing? Is your anxiety getting better?
I hope so; as I write this blog I’m praying for you dear reader to experience the peace that surpasses understanding.
A quick recap by way of questions:
- Are you resting physically, getting persective, and finding purpose (with Elijah)?
- Are you remembering what life is really about? What lasts and therefore matters?
- Are you learning from creation, how much more God, your good, good Father cares for you?
- Are you getting just how pointless worry is and confessing your deluded desires to play God?
- Are you believing God to provide for your needs (whilst surrendering your wants)?
In Matthew 6:33 Jesus instructs His followers to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness.
We’re not simply to refrain from pursuing bad stuff and stop worrying but to pursue someone and something else; to become completely preoccupied with God. With, as the verb “seek” implies, persevering and strenuous effort. We are to get off the hamster wheel of worry and be disciplined in deepening our relationship with God. We should seek to know Him better, sitting at His feet, like Mary (praying passionately, studying the Bible diligently) (Luke 10:38-42). We are to fix our eyes on Him, like Peter, walking on the water, not listening to the worrying wind or looking at the scary waves (the latest coronovirus…) but looking to Jesus (Matthew 14:22-33).
Is your life fully surrendered to God? Is God first, or are you holding something back (something you’re anxious about)? Perhaps it’s your family, your bank balance or maybe your future. Surrender it to God today. Life, joy, and true freedom come in God’s economy through a death of some kind (an admission of I cannot but God can). That’s how salvation works. That’s how most things work. Unless a seed falls into the ground and dies new and better life cannot come.
When we die to ourselves and live out the kingdom righteousness Jesus speaks about in the preceding bit of the Sermon on the Mount: humility, peacemaking, sexual purity, integrity, loving unlovely people, giving to the needy, being salt and light, and witnessing to others…. when we seek God first, and get our priorities right, Jesus says “all these things will be given to you as well”. He will provide everything you need.
I’ve always liked this story:
The wealthy Baron Fitzgerald had only one son and heir, who died after leaving home. This was a tragedy from which the father never recovered. As his wealth increased, the Baron continued to invest in paintings by great masters, and when he died, his will was found to call for all his paintings to be sold. Because of their quality and artistic value, messages were sent out to museums and collectors, advertising the sale.
When the day of the auction came, a large crowd assembled, and the lawyer read from Fitzgerald’s will. It instructed that the first painting to be sold was that ‘of my beloved son’. The portrait was by an unknown artist and it was of poor quality. The only bidder was an old servant who had known and loved the boy. For a small some of money he brought it for its sentimental value and the memories of it held for him. The attorney again read from the will, “Whoever buys my son gets all. The auction is over.”
Jesus said, seek first His kingdom and righteousness, and all things will be given to you.
