CORONA CARNAGE:
The phone rings. You pick up to hear your boss on the other end. Perhaps you never have gotten a call from them or it’s the particular tone of voice that makes your heart sink. Then comes the news: You’ve been laid off because the business took a huge nose dive with the wave of Covid-19. Maybe you were already living paycheck to paycheck or you’ve got a little bit of a nest egg of savings. Either way, you’re in a real bad spot.
Millions of Americans have found themselves in this position. That may be you now or could be you soon, or maybe it won’t be you at this time but perhaps you are hurting in other ways. Either way, God is calling us to trust in Him more than what we see.
COMFORT AMIDST COVID-19:
In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus gives a promise and challenges us not to worry about our needs. When Jesus said these words, you can imagine that the crowd was fairly diverse with the homeless, the poor, middle class and those with abundant wealth, like many Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus wasn’t saying this to people who could easily trust in His provision. He was challenging those who were poor and didn’t have much and those who had nothing to trust in Him. Jesus said to them:
Mat 6:25-34 NASB – 25 “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 not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and [yet] your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 “And who of you by being worried can add a [single] hour to his life?
28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 “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!
31 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Since God has purchased us with His blood by dying for us, we belong to Him and everything we have belongs to Him. So whether we still have it all, are at risk of losing it all or we have nothing, we need to trust Him that He will provide for us to go on to do His will and until He takes us home.
It’s so comforting to know that God is not blind to what we need. Jesus says, “…for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” We can cast all our worries on Him because He cares for us as it says in 1 Peter 5:7. So tell God what you need and know that He will provide.
Now this promise isn’t about God making you super rich by providing that car you always wanted or that house and land you really want, but it is about God giving you what you need in order to accomplish His will. God knows the exact portion of things that you need. We just need to keep loving Jesus and others and know that we will have what we need to continue doing God’s will.
STEPS TO WALK IN GOD’S PROMISE
Here’s some steps of how we can overcome worry and trust in God’s promise of provision:
Relationship with God: There is so much fear around the world with people either getting sick or losing their jobs and ability to provide. Or maybe they haven’t yet but fear that they will eventually. Jesus challenges us directly not to worry about these things, but instead to trust Him and continue to live for Him to the best of our abilities.
Relationship with other Believers: We can challenge and encourage other believers with this promise from Jesus. If a brother or sister is worried about what’s going on, share this verse from Jesus and comfort them. Coronavirus isn’t Lord, the Government isn’t Lord. Jesus is Lord! Perhaps as a fellow believer you can be the one to fulfill God’s promise of provision to someone in need!
Relationship with the World: This promise from Jesus is not addressed to the unbelieving world. Note verse 33: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” However, Jesus DOES invite the world into His family. When we are a part of his family, we have His provisions and His inheritance. God is the Father who desperately wants to care for His adopted children. In this time of fear and worry, we can invite others into God’s family!
IN CLOSING
Read Matthew 6:25-34 again, but imagine Jesus is right in the room reading it to you. He wants us to trust Him and He desires that we invite others to trust Him. If you can, let God use you to bless someone with the needs they may have!
Prayer
Jesus, we trust in you. We trust when we seek your Kingdom come, Your will be done in our lives, then we don’t have to worry about our needs. We are Your servants, Your sons and daughters, and we trust that you will take care of our need of food, clothing, health, shelter and whatever else we need until it is our time to come home to you. Help us not to be fearful or filled with anxiety, but to be filled with the peace and hope of God. Help us to live contagiously with the Good News of Jesus! Amen.
