Matthew 6:24-34 (CEB)

24 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

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.


Reflection

This “lilies of the field” passage holds a special place in my heart because it was one the favorites of a beloved ministry mentor. Nothing phased that man. He always appeared to care more for others than he did for himself.

Verse 33 says “desire first and foremost God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things (food, drink, clothing, life’s necessities) will be given to you as well.” We are called to focus all our energy and attention on God, who God is and what God desires of us. If we turn all our heart and mind to God there is no room for worries about ourselves.

When I was training as a Life Purpose Coach I learned that the human mind can only think of one thing at a time. Being a proud “multi-tasker” I didn’t believe this, and yet time and time again I’ve discovered it to be true. You can DO two things at once, but you can’t THINK of two things at once – one of those things will always become the primary focus of your mind. Focus your thoughts on God, really bring your heart and mind to be one with God, and the rest of your concerns will melt away. There’s not much in life that we can control, but when we turn over our control to God, amazing things can happen. Let your thinking drive your actions to bring about God’s kingdom in your area of influence.

By Kathleen Stolz


For Pondering & Prayer

Today’s reading begins with verse 24 which says, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other…” This can be like serving two thoughts at the same time.

Try to think of two family members at the same time. Think of them as individuals. Think about where each of them is, what they are doing, and pray for them.

Were you able to pray for them as individuals or did you keep bringing them together in your mind? Could you pray for them as individuals when you tried to think of them at the same time?

Think of one person in your life who needs your undivided attention and pray for God’s presence in their life.