Matthew 6:25-34 Reading
(Luke 12)

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!

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.

Jesus gave His disciples a call to abandon worry.
This call was addressed only to disciples,
not the crowds of followers.
Such a call is only for disciples, those who will
leave all and follow Him to the cross.

There is no escaping fear of the future except
through the surrender of discipleship. 

Anxiety is about tomorrow.
What I will wear, eat, do.
It is this 'fear of the future' that Jesus opposes.

His solution was the kingdom where the Father
dwells, sees, knows, provides.
His disciples are to be free of fear,
full of confidence for tomorrow based on
God's Fatherhood, knowledge and love. 

Future needs are God's practical awareness.
We are to be free for today's enjoyment of Him!
This day's responsibility, this moment's work,
this one time to know the Lord.

The prodigal came home, dependent at last.
And in the distance he saw
a wonderful and terrifying sight...
the Father coming to meet him.

When we finally come to the kingdom through
abject surrender, we expect to beg for the basics.
We know what we deserve!
And we have no place to go but...home.

This is the great surprise -
the Father never asked us to achieve but to receive.
He has no interest in the route of our surrender
or the record of our degradation.
Only that we come to Him and allow Him to father us.
Such is the Father's heart!

Tomorrow lies in the Father's hand, He who rules and
holds it in His sovereign order.
My tomorrow is His constant consideration and He
has all in place for my need.

My future rests in Father-God.
When I come home to Him as
my Source, my Hope,
my Belonging,
I have come into the Kingdom of
His Absolute Rule over the world and
evil and materials
and YES, even money!

Then that which has been fixed for my future
from all eternity, I see appear
by miracles, by wonders - all of it
outside of logic and earning.

The prodigal was flooded with the goodness of a
waiting Father, who had fully planned
and prepared for his return.

And the provision was food and clothing:
the prodigal's lack and our common worry.

More than food, it was a feast and a party.
Beyond common coverings, it was robes of splendor.

Far beyond basics, he was given a ring of authority
and sandals of separation from the world.
All, a picture of our Dear Father and
of the glorious Kingdom that waits
for the end of our saving and serving of
SELF!

Fear and worry are proof of unbelief.
Unbelief is the sign of being outside the kingdom
and wallowing still in the pig pen.
Worry is an insult to God who has laid up our gifts
for living so we may spend our days
in worship...

and the service that
flows out from worship!

Copyright © 2006 Martha Kilpatrick