[When available, audio recordings of these devotions are posted at http://www.redeemerclc.info/audio-devotions]
Monday, June 27, 2016
Luke 12:22-23, 31 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes....But seek His [the Father's] kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."
DON'T WORRY, FOCUS ON JESUS' KINGDOM-RULE
Jesus understands how serious a problem worry can be for us. He knows how easily we humans are beset by anxiety, especially about the necessities of life. Such anxiety can paralyze the mind. Worse, it afflicts the heart -- it substitutes fear for faith.
In Luke 12 Jesus gently but firmly speaks to both the minds and hearts of His believing disciples. He gives us five good reasons we shouldn't be fretting about these things, and then goes on to enable us to stop doing this by re-centering our hearts and lives on Him and His strong love.
In the first place, Jesus points out that anxiety over life's necessities forgets that God's gift of life is a commitment by a loving Creator -- One who will not give that great gift without following through with the lesser gifts necessary to maintain and sustain it. "Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes."
While this makes perfect sense to our minds, Jesus also goes on to speak to our hearts by reminding us that our heavenly Father has given us new life, spiritual life, through the gift of faith in the redeeming work of His Son. This life is an even greater gift, for with it comes forgiveness of sin and eternal life. Jesus thus leads us to center our lives on His rule in our hearts, His kingdom. "Seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."
Christian, new life in Christ is yours. You can make Jesus' rule in your heart your primary concern in life and leave anxiety about this life's necessities behind. Focus on the commitment the Father made in sending His Son to the cross for you.
"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).
