Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
Feb. 28, 2025
Matthew 6:25-34
25 “Therefore, I say to you, don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, what you’ll wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds in the sky. They don’t sow seed or harvest grain or gather crops into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than they are? 27 Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? Notice how the lilies in the field grow. They don’t wear themselves out with work, and they don’t spin cloth. 29 But I say to you that even Solomon in all of his splendor wasn’t dressed like one of these. 30 If God dresses grass in the field so beautifully, even though it’s alive today and tomorrow it’s thrown into the furnace, won’t God do much more for you, you people of weak faith? 31 Therefore, don’t worry and say, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ 32 Gentiles long for all these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 Instead, desire first and foremost God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore, stop worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Good Morning. Stop worrying about tomorrow!
For what do you long? Let’s start with things. Earthly answers might include things like enough money to pay my bills, a healthy life, and family and friends. These are reasonable desires. Of course, the answers of power, prestige, and wealth seem unattainable for most of us. Those answers have great challenges because they often lead to greed and pride, which often stand in the way of a relationship with God.
For what do we long? Now, let’s consider the ideals that lead us to the life God intends for us. Peace, love, joy, and hope top that list. Worry is the greatest adversary to these goals.
When all our energy is focused on worrying about tomorrow, we can’t take joy in what we have at the moment. How can we find love if we worry about whether it will last? The throngs of worry dash hope for things we cannot see. Finally, there is no space left for peace when we are consumed with worry.
Letting go of worry is hard, and we cannot do it alone. God promises to provide for our needs as we read of the birds in the air and the lilies in the field. God is with us and sees our needs. Let go and Let God!
Loving Lord, Maker of all things! You love us! Worry creeps in when we begin to doubt. Help us develop our faith so that we endure all things. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: With God’s help, we can face life’s challenges with unwavering faith.
Let go! Let God! Pastor Liz
Comments