“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? 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? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 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? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 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 6:25-34
It is a year tonight that Lillian Eileen was born. She changed all of our lives, her wonderful parents most, but we are all smitten. Our Lilly is one today and I remember that day as if it were yesterday. Our daughter called to ask us to come, she thought she was in labor and would we be there soon. We packed up and drove fast, she went into the hospital and we joined them. After a solid 24 hours of labor the doctor decided to do a c-section. Throughout it all Ariel was very brave, as was Adam. The year has gone very fast. Today Lilly is walking and working on running. She has at least four teeth and is working on her vocabulary. She is an expert at hanging up the phone on her Grammy. We are completely smitten and could not imagine the world without her. She is blessing upon blessing.
Jesus continues to instruct his disciples. He knows that being human means worrying about the basics of life. And yet, he want them to hear how God cares for us - more than the glorious and gorgeous lilies of the field -God's desire is to provide for us. As parents we worry, as people in tough economic straits, we worry, and as folks who care for others, we worry. And God, like a wonderful parent is caring for our needs, helping us to thrive, clothing us and providing for us in more radiance than we can imagine. God loves us and cannot imagine the world without us. God too is smitten with creation, and is active in our care and restoration.
Today, in honor of Lilly's first birthday, I want to be grateful for all the blessings of God in my life. An old song keeps running through my head which my Dad would sing from time to time. "Cheer up ye saints of God there's nothing to worry about, nothing to make you feel afraid, nothing to make you doubt. Remember Jesus never fails so why not trust him and shout? You'll be sorry you worried at all tomorrow morning." May we all be full of joyful shout as we count our many blessings today and trust God to bless us tomorrow.
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