seemingly simple

God's Word is filled with difficult passages. You would be hard-pressed (at least I hope) to find someone who hasn't found at least one passage they consistently wrestle with. Some are hard to read. Some are hard to follow. Some are hard to understand. Some are hard to accept. Some are hard to respond to. And some are just plain hard.

Surprisingly (to myself), I am wrestling with a seemingly simple and familiar passage. Anyone who knows anything about the Bible has heard the passage more than once. It isn't filled with mystery or deep theological concepts. It's clear and to the point.

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? ...Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’...But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.                      ~Matthew 6:25, 31, 33-34

In the English, it sounds as if Jesus is stating one imperative three times; Do not be anxious. In between He uses pictures from nature to explain why. You could really sum all ten verses as, "Do not worry because God knows, God cares, and He is faithful" (and for all I know the Message might say just that). 

Again, it's not rocket-science. God is Creator, therefore He knows exactly what each and every creature needs. God is Father, therefore He gives exactly what each of His children need. God is God, therfore He is who He's always been: lovingly faithful. And yet I would rather add on to today's troubles the troubles of tomorrow.

When I read it, I keep coming back to the three imperatives. They don't seem like our imperatives where Jesus would be wagging His finger, screaming "DO NOT WORRY!" at His disciples. However, they are still imperatives. He isn't suggesting or being passive. He is saying "don't do it." And He is saying it more than once.

Our culture tells us the opposite. We are supposed to worry about everything. Because nothing in this life is certain, all we can do is plan as best we can and worry about the rest. Look at advertisements and see how many start with something along the lines of "are you worried about...?" Look at our conversations with other people. We replace the word "worry" with the friendlier version "concern" (and the dictionary backs me up on that one). "Does it concern you that...your marriage...your job...your kids...your money...your house..." and the list goes on. We fully embrace worry as a perfectly acceptable and normal response to life.

And this is exactly what Christ is telling His followers not to do. Worry is normal because we are sinners. Worry is acceptable because our sin teaches us to rely on ourselves. But we belong to Christ which also means we belong to the Father, and God's Spirit reminds of this each and every day. That eliminates any and all room for worry.

But with all that said, it's not easy. I want to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, but the concerns of this life appear weightier. I know by doing so all these things will be added to you, but my needs can't seem to wait.

Thankfully, God graciously allows me to wrestle with Him even when the issue is seemingly simple. He doesn't berate for lack of faith, but draws me in. For it never did (or ever will) depend on me. 

Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress into jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.