In the “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus made some very profound statements. His intention was that His followers should conduct their lives according to these statements.
At the turn of the year, one of these statements is intended to give us guidance for the new year. But there is more: Jesus attaches a promise to it, i.e., whoever obeys this command of His can expect it to be fulfilled. We quote Jesus according to Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
To fully understand this statement, we need to look at the context of the text. Jesus is speaking to His disciples, whom He had destined for a great task in the future, namely to reach the whole world with the gospel. Of course, Jesus knew how easy it is to get lost in the things of this age, in natural worries. Consequently, in the preceding verses, Jesus speaks against worrying. It does not matter what kind of worries they are; worries are worries.
Worries have a paralyzing effect, affect a person’s inner state, and prevent them from fulfilling their tasks. Understandably, Jesus takes a stand against this. But Jesus does not stop there; He goes one step further and shows them the way by pointing out the correct ordering of things in their lives. It seems to me that He is saying: Important things first! You should give priority to the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And before the disciples can ask how that will be possible, He adds: “All these things shall be added to you.” In plain language: “I will take care of getting you through!” Peter must have understood this, because years later, he writes, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
We are on the threshold of a new year. Given the situation, it is understandable that people may be worried. What kinds of worries are there, and how can they take hold of us? Some people wake up with worries and take them to bed with them again in the evening. Worries are age-dependent and therefore vary greatly.
As young people embark on their lives, their worries are different from those of older people, who may be concerned about issues such as: Who will look after me in my old age? Will I be put in a retirement or nursing home? Will I be a burden on my children? Will I have enough money? – Worries are not limited to people with limited means; wealthy people simply have different worries.
Worries – why do we worry? Did you know that worrying has never changed a situation? Has anyone ever gotten a new winter coat by worrying? Has anyone ever been cured of an illness by worrying? There are certain things in our lives that we simply have no control over. What’s more, many worries later turn out to be completely unjustified because the things we were worried about didn’t turn out the way we thought they would. What a thought, to have worried for nothing! Someone writes from their life experience that about 90% of our worries and fears do not come true.
We would prefer not to say it, but the fact is that worry is basically a lack of trust in God. We think we are responsible for everything. Do I not trust my God to bring me through? Will the great God who has carried me this far not also care for me in the new year? Do we not sing in a song, “No one who waits on You will be ashamed?”
So let us realign ourselves at the turn of the year and allow Jesus’ words to light our way. They want to show us what matters. It’s about putting important things first! Our focus should be on the kingdom of God. Christ’s kingdom should be expanded and built up. It should not be held back by worries of any kind. It should not be neglected because of worries. It should not be hindered by worries.
The kingdom of Christ should have our full attention and support. This should not be a theory that sounds good but should be demonstrated in our everyday decisions and in our thinking. It should be evident in our behavior within the local church. We have only one passion, and that is Christ and His kingdom. We are not concerned with things that are visible but with things that are eternal. We seek those things which are above.
Jesus made a promise about this attitude: “All these things shall be added to you!” He had just been talking about worries about food and clothing. He is referring to this with this statement. Do you know what Jesus means by this? Doesn’t it mean: “If you give priority to My cause, I will take care of your needs?” Isn’t that a liberating statement? For me, it means nothing other than these two words: Worry not! We should almost write these two words down and put them somewhere visible in our homes so that we don’t forget them. Now it really only depends on whether we believe Jesus’ words. Dear brother, dear sister, why worry when He cares for us?
The disciples took Jesus’ command to heart. They gave practical and visible priority to the kingdom of God. In their thoughts and actions, they committed themselves to the kingdom of God. They carried out their mission. They put their own interests aside and sought only one thing: the kingdom of God. And if we could ask them today, “Did you ever lack anything?” they would confess with radiant eyes, “Never!”
At this point, I am folding my hands in silence. I have made my decision. This year, I will seek “above all,” as one translation puts it, that is: first, “the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” I want to do it. And you? God bless you and your decision!
Blessed new year – worries are unfounded!
Harry Semenjuk
Wetaskiwin, AB
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