“Therefore, Do Not Be Anxious"

“Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”(Matthew 6:31-32 ESV)

Jesus gave us assurances of God’s love and mercy for His children. In turn, we, as a community of shared faith, are generous with the blessings God bestows upon us in our lives. Brothers and sisters, we are all in a very difficult place. Our government has shut down, meaning thousands of federal workers will not get paid. The pressure is overwhelming when any bill, large or small, cannot be paid. I know firsthand it is not pleasant.

Even worse, those who serve willingly in the military may not receive their funds on the 15^th of this month. They make far less than you know, and unlike many, cannot quit or find another job while this shutdown continues. Jesus told us not to be anxious about obtaining the needs in our lives. God knows what we need before we need it. Easier said than done, and perhaps God put this on my heart because I, too, need to be reminded of it.

When we trust in God, He provides. Look at Abraham, whom God tested with one of the greatest tests in the Bible—the command to sacrifice his own son. Moses wrote, “And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” Instead of having to sacrifice Isaac, and because of Abraham’s faith and devotion to God, God provided a ram to be sacrificed instead of Abraham’s son.

Having your family budget cut in half does not equate to the test Abraham received, but it is a test of our devotion to God. God provides ways to help us through these times, and He will present them to us as needed. We must remain faithful and in prayer. How much more can God love His children? More than we can imagine. In Matthew 6:26-27, Jesus said, “ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

We are God’s creation. He sacrificed His only son, our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we could be rejoined with Him in a living relationship made free from our sins through our faith in Christ. Trust Him with this inconvenience, and you will weather this storm, too, for Christ is our anchor. Remember, in His love, we find comfort and security.

Let us pray for our country, our federal workers and our military:

Merciful Father,

In you we place all hope, not only in our eternal salvation, but in our daily lives.

In this time of uncertainty, we pray for those who will not receive the earnings and be forced to go without many things.

Father, you are omnipotent, knowing all things. We trust you will provide for our brothers and sisters who, along with us, worship and glorify You for Your love, mercy, and power.

Our elected officials are like a river in your hands; guide them, Lord, so that your people may find relief.

We especially pray for our military Lord that their selfless service will not go unrewarded. You are, as called by Abraham, Jehovah Jireh (Yahweh-Yireh), the God who provides. Provide for Your people, Lord, our trust and faith are in You.

Let us remember the power of our collective prayers, for in them, we find hope and strength.

In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen