Matthew 6:25-33
25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 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? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
The Coronavirus has alerted otherwise passive affluent cultures like our that life is fragile. Prosperity, comfort and security are precarious.
As our culture adapts to the new world of pandemic viruses, we see a massive rise in anxiety, worry, fear, depression and even suicide.
Anxiety is an inner feeling of apprehension, uneasiness, worry, and/or dread that is accompanied by a heightened physical arousal.
- The Bible uses the term anxiety or worry in two ways. Both are common.
- Anxiety that is realistic concern is neither condemned nor forbidden.
- Anxiety that is fret and worry is more distressing and, at its core, reflects a lack of confidence in God and a tendency to take burdens on to ourselves.
However, the Bible plainly tells us NOT to worry, or be anxious or live in fear.
- It is a command so to do these things then becomes a SIN because does not command us to NOT do something which He then does not give us the ability to achieve.
Let’s see if there are any loopholes in God’s command not to WORRY:
- Do not worry about what you will eat: food, sustenance.
- Do no worry about what you will drink: water, the highest necessity for life next to breathing.
- Do not work about your body: health, imprisonment, clothing, freedom, sickness, dying.
- DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE. That covers everything.
DO NOT WORRY: all inclusive.
Jesus knew what He was commanding. He knew the effects of life. DO NOT WORRY.
- Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV) 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
- It is a command, an imperative; not suggestion, not an option, not good advice… a COMMAND
- To do otherwise is to disobey Jesus.