December 7: Food

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?- Matthew 6:25-16

If I’m being honest I spend a good amount of time worrying about my life. Yet the Bible specifically tells us not to (roughly 365 times) worry or fear (Isaiah 41:10).

We are told repeatedly not to worry, and not to fear- to stop focusing on our daily needs. Why? Because we tend to focus on our daily needs, and neglect our spiritual ones (Matthew 6:33). 

What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up this morning? Christmas shopping? Your Christmas shopping budget? All the things you have to do today? If I'm being honest, I'm thinking about my next meal right now.

Jesus had to remind his disciples of the same thing. Again and again. The disciples were often focused with what was in front of them: feeding people (Matthew 14:15), the storm around them (Matthew 8), or the current political situation. So Jesus reminds them patiently, and repeatedly that he has come as a Messiah, and that his mission is bigger than their priorities (Mark 9:31).

Imagine what more Jesus could have done if the disciples were seeking things outside of their immediate needs? He would still have fed, healed and taught- but what more might the disciples have gleaned from his company?

God values you so highly! He loves you so much that he sent Jesus to die on your behalf. He is eager to bless your life, to enjoy fellowship with you, and to grow you! If your hands are full because you’re holding onto the worries of today, it will be difficult to pick up God’s blessings.

Place your worries at the feet of Jesus. Fold a sheet of paper in half. Write your worries on one half, and on the other find verses that speak to them. Use Google, or check out a concordance. For your top worries, re-read those verses and remind yourself that God’s word is true.

I’m worried about:                    What God says:
My Finances                                 Philippians 4:19, Proverbs 22:7
My Relationships                       Ephesians 4:2-3
My Anxiety                                    1 Peter 5:6-7, Psalm 94:19
My Past                                           1 Corinthians 5:17-18
The Future                                     Matthew 6:39

​Written by: Mary Weinstein

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