March 31 2025

Monday March 31

Beware of Worry

Luke 12:22-29

22 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? 29 And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

It is great to be back home in America from our trip to India and Cairo Egypt, and in my office here in Sneads Ferry NC. I can’t thank you enough for your prayers for my trip with my son Jonathan. It was obvious to us that you were praying, and the Lord was answering your prayers. We had some amazing divine appointments with some dear fellow travelers, and I wish I had the time and space to share them with you. Please pray that the seed that was sown will not be snatched away and that it will take deep root and bear fruit!

Also, thank you so much for your prayers for Luke and his major surgery to replace the shunts and everything this past Friday. The doctors were very pleased with the success of the surgery. Recovery is always difficult, but by last night, when we were facetiming with him and Kimberly, he was smiling and laughing, and feeling pretty good. He is scheduled to go home today if his fever stays normal, and things continue to go as well through this morning. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We can’t say it enough! They do make a difference!

Now amazing, the place we pick up in Luke 12:22-29, seems to specifically be for our family during a time like this! Remember Jesus begins this chapter telling His disciples to “beware of hypocrisy” (vv. 1-12). Then Jesus tells them to “beware of covetousness” (vv. 13-21). You might have noticed like me, that in verse 22, this is the second time Jesus specifically addresses His disciple in this chapter. In verses 1 and 22, we read, “…Jesus said to His disciples”. Now, In verse 22, Jesus basically is saying to them, and to us, “beware of worry”.

Jesus had just told the story of the rich farmer who was a fool, not because he was rich, but because he forgot to consider God and eternity. The rich farmer worried because he had too much, but the disciples might be tempted to worry because they did not have enough! They had given up all they had in order to follow Christ They were living by faith, and faith is always tested.

First, we should remember that worry is destructive. The word translated "worry" in Luke 12:22 (or “anxious” in other translations), means "to be torn apart," and the word “anxious”, translated "doubtful mind" in Luke 12:29, KJV, ASV, means "to be held in suspense." It is the picture of a ship being tossed in a storm. Our English word worry comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word that means "to strangle." "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow," said Corrie Ten Boom; "it empties today of its strength." Someone said, “Worry is like being in a rocking chair. It will give you something to do but won’t get you anywhere”. It will emotionally wear you out!

Worry is also deceptive. It gives us a false view of life, of itself, and of God. Worry convinces us that life is made up of what we eat and what we wear. We get so concerned about the means that we totally forget about the end, which is to glorify God (Matt. 6:33). There is a great difference between making a living and making a life. Worry blinds us to the world around us and the way God cares for His creation. God makes the flowers beautiful, and He even feeds the unclean ravens who have no ability to sow or reap. He ought to be able to care for men to whom He has given the ability to work. Jesus was not suggesting that we sit around and let God feed us, for the birds themselves work hard to stay alive. Rather, He encourages us to trust Him and cooperate with Him in using the abilities and opportunities that He gives us (2 Thes. 3:6-15).

But worry even blinds us to itself. We can get to the place where we actually think that worry accomplishes good things in our lives! In Luke 12:25, Jesus pointed out that our worries do not add one extra minute to our lives (Ps. 39:5) or one extra inch to our height. The rich farmer's fretting certainly did not lengthen his life! Instead of adding to our lives, our worries take away from our lives. People can worry themselves into the hospital or into the grave! Once again, Jesus argued from the lesser to the greater. If God feeds the birds, He will surely feed His children. If He beautifies the plants that grow up one day and are cut down the next, surely He will clothe His own people. The problem is not His little power, for He can do anything; the problem is our little faith.

The emotion of worry should be like an alarm clock to us. It warns and alerts us that we are looking and thinking more about our needs, and focusing on them, rather than our great God who loves us and cares for us, and is more than sufficient to meet those needs.

May the Lord often remind us of His cure for worry in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

God bless!