A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam
Good morning B the Church family. Welcome to today’s Weekday Morning Devotional.
Before we begin I just wanted to share some convictions that have been on my heart both personally as well as for our listeners. There is no doubt that we live in an extremely trying time right now and every day seems to appear one step closer to the end times, which leaves most of us wondering how to navigate the world around us as things get more difficult. My conviction and encouragement is this, just like in Jesus day, people were looking for a worldly savior, someone to solve their earthly problems and challenges, and in doing so, missed the Messiah, who came to solve eternal problems, not temporary ones.
It’s easy to get caught up in wishing for or hoping someone fixes even just SOME of the corruption in this world and makes it a better place for us to live again, but we, especially as Christians, who know how the story ends, must be careful to not give those hopes a higher place or value or importance than the place we hold Christ in our lives. For truly, this world is scheduled to fall apart and into despair - and while we don’t know when - we do know it’s going to happen. My challenge to you as well as myself is to earnestly consider HOW can we help more people improve their relationship with Christ in the time we have available to us. This will have ETERNAL impact. And while postponing armageddon is a noble desire as well, it can’t be more important than sharing the gospel and helping people learn how to discern truth from false witness.
For this reason, I’m all the more thankful to Aaron who writes these devotionals and allow us all a great, easy way to sit with God each morning and meditate on His word - and how easy it is to share these short shows with others who would value the chance to do so. It’s clear in our show that many of you are sharing these episodes and we are so happy you feel comfortable doing so. It means that many more people are getting to sit with God more, even if only one more time.
With that, let’s jump into today’s reading in Matthew 6….
““For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:25-34 NASB2020
Jesus begins this portion of his sermon reminding us what he just talked about. He says “for this reason” He could have used a “Therefore”. So we must ask the question for what reason? or wherefore is that therefore there for. I hope you remember that previously Jesus was saying don’t put money or any other idol above serving and following God. So then if we are able to do that we can also do what he says we should do in todays verses. Don’t worry!
I am sure we have all heard the idioms “Let go and let God, God’s got this, Don’t worry be happy, or as the great philosopher Elsa sang in frozen “Let it Go, Let it Go!”
It’s a whole lot easier said that done. It’s in our nature to worry about the things we think we “need.” I often tell the story about our daughter Amanda when she was 3. We were out to breakfast and there was the claw arcade game where you put $ in and you could have the claw grab a teddy bear or whatever prize. Amanda loved teddy bears so we tried a couple of times with no success. I told Amanda we would try again next time. She said to me “Daddy please I want that bear. I quoted that great musical philosopher Mig Jagger. “You can’t always get Watcha want, but sometimes you just might find you get what you need.” Amanda thought for a minute and then she said, “But daddy I really need that bear.”
What we think we need and what God knows we need sometimes are two very different things. That is why we must be in constant communication with God, through prayer, through singing, and through fellowship. This allows us to not worry. It allows us to lay our burdens down at his feet. For Jesus said “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:29-30 NIV
How many of us feel overwhelmed, overworked and tired? How many of us have lost countless hours of sleep worrying about things we have no control over. Jesus will give us what we need, he gives us rest, lean into his Holy Spirit and His Shalom Shalom which is His perfect peace. And find the rest and peace you need.
Lord we praise and worship your Holy and Perfect Name. We thank you for your awesome and perfect peace that surpasses all understanding. Help us to rest and trust in you and your perfect will for our lives. We pray all these things In Jesus Name…Amen!
Shalom blessings and Press In and Press On!