It can be really easy for me to slip into an old habit of trying to organize, orchestrate and control. I have told people that I used to live my life trying to calculate each and every possible variable for each and every possible scenario. Then, I'd make a "plan" for each option. I think I did this to try to help myself feel prepared and safe. All I actually felt was exhausted.
That house of cards was a precarious world to live in, and when one card tipped out of place (which happened constantly), the whole thing would fall apart, and I'd be left running around trying to replace and reposition the pieces.
Thankfully, I have learned over the years that I don't have to do any of that, and that, instead, I can just let God do what He does best: run the show. Turns out, I'm not exactly qualified for the position.
So, in light of this idea, I'm thinking about the following passage. For many of you, it will be familiar, but I encourage you to read it slowly and let your heart and mind digest it a bit:
“'That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
'And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
'So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.'" Matthew 6:25-33 (NLT)
Many are familiar with another phrase from verse six: "...and everything else will be added unto you."
This is the part of this passage that I've been meditating on. Jesus' words here say the same thing several ways, but I think this last verse really hits home the point. We worry, we busy-about, we pray, we plan, we strive, we save, we organize, categorize, orchestrate and build our own houses of cards again and again each day. Even though my cards are in more of a petite stack than a giant house, I still try to stack them up and arrange them. I do it all the time.
But, as my heart was called to this verse today, I also was reminded of a phrase from a worship song I love: "Into Your hands I lay the unknown things."
What verse six reminds me is that, no matter what, all I really need to do is seek and draw close to God. Everything else - that's right EVERYTHING else - will be taken care of by Him. It's not wrong or bad to see wisdom, strive for peace or plan for parts of our lives. Living responsibly requires much of each of these things, but above all else, we need to seek the heart of God. We need to seek relationship with and dependence upon Him and His ways. Then, anything and everything else of importance will be added unto us.
For me, this is a fresh & challenging reminder. Another well-known song, "He's got the whole world in His hands; He's got the whole world in His hands..." and again and again. And, really, that's it. He has you in His hands. He has your loved ones, your spouses, your families, your children, your friends, your co-workers and every stranger on the street in His hands. There is no safer or more wonderful place to be. Concentrate on settling into His grasp; I am certain you won't be sorry.
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