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?:
ei de ton chorton tou agrou semeron onta (PAPMSA) kai aurion
eis klibanon ballomenon (PPPMSA) ho theos houtos amphiennusin,
(3SPAI) ou pollo mallon umas, oligopistoi
(Psalms 90:5,6;
92:7;
Isaiah 40:6-8;
Luke 12:28;
James 1:10,11;
1 Peter 1:24)
(8:26;
14:31;
16:8;
17:17;
Mark 4:40;
9:19;
Luke 9:41;
John 20:27;
Hebrews 3:12)
Furnace
(2863)
(klibanos) was a large round earthen dome or pot, two
or three feet high, narrowing toward the top. This being first
heated by a fire made within, the dough or paste was spread
upon the side of the pot to bake, thus forming thin cakes.
This method of baking is still used in the Middle East and was
common, as it is still, around the island of Cyprus.
Dried
grass was an important fuel source in the sparsely treed land
of Palestine.
Jesus'
point is that the grass (as is true with the lilies) is alive
for a few hours or days, and then is gone. And yet despite the
fact that the grass and flowers are temporary creations, God
still provides for them. It follows that if God provides for
the temporary aspects of creation, will He not provide for the
eternal? The answer obviously is "yes" and even much more so.
BECOME
A "SPIRITUAL BIRDWATCHER"
and/or
A "SPIRITUAL GARDNER"
As
practical application,
you might consider taking up the "avocation" of "spiritual
bird watching" and/or "spiritual gardening." One
cannot help but wonder whether bird watchers and gardeners
worry less? Although you might think it somewhat unorthodox,
consider setting up a bird feeder that you can easily observe
and then every time you see one of God's beautiful creatures,
ask God by His Spirit to bring the simple but profound truths
of Jesus' message on worry to mind (cf Pr 23:7a, Ro 12:2
renewing your mind, Phil 4:8-9 dwelling on what is true and
practicing it brings peace). Might such an "exercise" of
meditating upon the trustworthy, dependable watch care of our
Father for our feathered friends begin to free us from
fretting?!
Much
(4183)
(polus) means many, much of number, quantity or amount, like a
great crowd, loud mourning, plentiful harvest, late hour, long
time, etc.
More
(3123)
(mallon an adverb comparative of mála = very)
means very, very much, exceedingly.
This
phrase "pollo mallon" means all the more and
when referring to quantity means greater abundance, but as
used here refers to greater certainty.
James
uses a similar analogy to picture the life of the "rich and
famous" writing...
let the rich man glory in
his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass
away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind, and withers the
grass; and its flower falls off, and the beauty of its
appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of
his pursuits will fade away. (James 1:10,11)
You of little faith (Mt 8:26;
14:31;
16:8;
17:17;
Mark 4:40;
9:19;
Luke 9:41;
John 20:27;
Hebrews 3:12)
Little
faith
(3640)
(oligopistos from olígos = little + pístis
= faith, firm persuasion, conviction) means having but little
faith and so incredulous or lacking confidence in God and His
Word of Truth. Faith here is not just mental assent but a firm
conviction to the truth, a surrender to the truth and a
conduct emanating from that surrender. In sum, faith shows
itself genuine by a changed life.
Worrying
shows that one has “little faith” in what God can do
and that He is able to meet all of our needs.
This
expression "little faith" is used four times in
Matthew, once in Luke (Luke 12:28), as an encouragement to
growth in faith as well as a gentle reproof.
And He said to them, "Why
are you timid, you men of little faith?" Then He arose,
and rebuked the winds and the sea; and it became perfectly
calm. (Mt 8:26)
And immediately Jesus
stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him,
"O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Mt 14:31)
"But Jesus, aware of this,
said, "You men of little faith, why do you discuss
among yourselves that you have no bread?" (Mt 16:8)
The perfect cure for worry is trust in God.
Faith is total confidence in the provision of God.
Therefore, a lack of faith will lead to a life of
psychological anxiety. Since this lack of faith is identified
with sin, Adams is correct in
asserting that man’s emotional problems
stem from his sin (J. Adams, Christian Counselors’ Manual. p.
117 ff.). In the Sermon on the Mount we have then, not only a
directive for spiritual well-being, but the model of a manual
of mental health as well. (Hindson,
E, Woodrow Kroll: KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville: Thomas
Nelson.)
Spurgeon
wrote in a devotional entitled "Divine Provision" that...
CLOTHES are expensive, and poor believers may be led into
anxiety as to where their next suit will come from. The soles
are thin; how shall we get new shoes? See how our thoughtful
Lord has provided against this care. Our heavenly Father
clothes the grass of the field with a splendor such as Solomon
could not equal: will He not clothe His own children? We are
sure He will. There may be many a patch and a darn, but
raiment we shall have. A poor minister found his clothes
nearly threadbare and so far gone that they would hardly hold
together; but as a servant of the Lord, he expected his Master
to find him his livery. It so happened that the writer on a
visit to a friend had the loan of the good man’s pulpit, and
it came into his mind to make a collection for him, and there
was his suit. Many other cases we have seen in which those who
have served the Lord have found Him considerate of their
wardrobe. He who made man so that when he had sinned he needed
garments, also in mercy supplied him with them; and those
which the Lord gave to our first parents were far better than
those they made for themselves. (Faith's Checkbook))
The great saint George
Mueller (
Click
for example of Mueller's amazing faith) once said that
The beginning of anxiety is
the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end
of anxiety.
J C Ryle writing that Jesus
suggests to us that over-carefulness about the things of this
world is most unworthy of a Christian. One great feature of
paganism is living for the present. Let the pagan be anxious
if he wants to; he knows nothing of a Father in heaven. But
let the Christian, who has clearer light and knowledge, give
proof of it by his faith and contentment. When we are bereaved
of those we love, we are not to “grieve like the rest of men,
who have no hope” (1Thessalonians 4:13). When we are tried
by anxieties about this life, we are not to be over-careful,
as if we had no God, and no Christ. (Matthew
6:25-34 Expository Thoughts)
><>><>><>
F B Meyer has the following devotional on Mt 6:31-32
CHRIST'S TEACHING ABOUT TRUST - LET US trust God to care
for us! This was the life that Jesus lived.
He would not even make stones into bread; nor eat until His
Father bade Him and sent the angels to minister to Him. He
speaks out of His heart when He bids us trust our Father's
care.
It is better to trust in God than to accumulate riches. The
moth and rust destroy, thieves steal, all earthly goods are
perishable and precarious. How many have placed their savings
in stocks and shares, in banks and companies, and have lost
every penny! Whilst others who have been unable to save and
have lived to help their fellow-men, have found that God has
made provision for them and carried them "even to hoar hairs."
Trust in God gives clearness of vision. When we are thinking
partly of doing God's work in the world, and partly of lining
our own nest, we are in the condition of the man whose eyes do
not look in the same direction. There is a squint in our inner
vision. We are endeavouring to serve two masters, and our
judgment is therefore distorted. Who has not often experienced
this? You have tried to ascertain God's will, or to form a
fight judgment about your life, but constantly your perception
of duty has been obscured by the thought that, if you decided
in a certain direction, you would interfere with your
interests in another. Your eye has not been single, and you
have walked in darkness. When, however, you feel so absorbed
in God's interests that you are indifferent to your own, all
becomes clear, and you leave Him to care for all results.
"Mind my business," said Queen Elizabeth to one of her
ambassadors, "and I will look after yours."
Let us not think that God is niggardly and stinting in His
gifts. He gives fish as well as bread when He feeds the
crowds; colours as well as leaves when He clothes the flowers.
You have been adopted into His Family, and may call Him "Abba,
Father." Surely this act of grace shows a special love on His
part. Would He have taken such care of the spiritual, and have
none for the physical? The ungodly may worry about their
maintenance; but a child of God may be sure that His needs
will be supplied.
PRAYER - Thou art our portion, our God, our Father. Thou art
more than father and mother to those who trust Thee. Thou
lovest us with a tender pity that never fails or wearies.
Encompass us with Thy guardian care, and realise in us Thy
highest purposes. AMEN. (Our Daily Walk)
