The Key to Calmness

Matthew 6:
25 "This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn't life worth more than food? And isn't the body worth more than clothes?
26 Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren't you worth much more than birds?
27 Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?
28 "And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves.
29 But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers.
30 It is God who clothes the wild grass - grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won't he be all the more sure to clothe you? What little faith you have!
31 "So do not start worrying: 'Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?'
32 (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things.
33 Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things.
34 So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.
(Good News Bible)

Alice Taylor was a missionary to China in the first half of the twentieth century.
She thought that her children were safe in boarding school, but during World War II she learned that they had been taken to an internment camp.
She almost went insane with fear over what would happen to them there, and whether she would ever see them again.
Then she remembered how her old pastor back home, Pa Ferguson, had explained Matthew 6:33.

He had said to her, "Alice, if you take care of the things that are dear to God, He will take care of the things dear to you."

Having no way to help her children, Alice took Matthew 6:33 as Gospel truth and trusted God to protect her youngsters as she faithfully tried to go about her work for Him.
And in God's perfect timing the family was gloriously reunited.

We need to allow God to take care of the things hurting us, while we pray about the things that are hurting His heart.
If you have cares and concerns right now - especially issues over which you have little or no control - leave them in God's hands and spend your time serving rather than stressing.
If we take care of the things that are dear to God, He will take care of the things dear to us.

For our family that advice from Pa Ferguson long years ago will always hold special meaning.
I pass it along to you, for it is truly so.
Alice Taylor


The Apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Timothy 1:
12 . . . But I am still full of confidence, because I know whom I have trusted, and I am sure that he is able to keep safe until that Day what I have entrusted to Him.   (Good News Bible)

adapted from Today's Turning Point with Dr David Jeremiah

Prayer:
Loving heavenly Father,
thank You so much that You are faithful and trustworthy.
Today, I put into Your hands all that hurts my heart. (Tell Him what those things are.)
And now I go out into my day to serve You, knowing that You are taking care of what's in my heart.
Lord Jesus Christ, I thank You for the promise in Your Word that I can trust.
Hallelujah!   Amen.

See you tomorrow, God willing