TLIC FAMILY. DAY 126. MAY 6: DO NOT BE ANXIOUS.

THINK TOGETHER

Have you ever felt anxious? When?

READ TOGETHER

I guess it’s a silly question to ask if you’ve ever felt anxious isn’t it? We have all felt anxious, or scared, or worried at some time in our life haven’t we? But Jesus doesn’t want our lives to be filled with anxiousness and worry. Sometimes we can feel anxious because our bodies or brains are sick. When that happens there are doctors and medicines that can help. But sometimes we feel anxious because we worry about what’s going on in our life, or about proving ourselves to God or others. That’s the kind of anxiousness that Jesus talks about in his Sermon on the Mount. Listen to what he says:

Matthew 6:25-33. ²⁵“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. ²⁶Look 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? ²⁷And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁸And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹…O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Plants don’t worry. Birds don’t worry. But humans? Yep, we worry… a lot. What are some things that you worry about? Jesus wants us to replace our worry with worship. He wants us to be more like the birds and the flowers. Birds work hard every day but not to perform or prove themselves. And flowers just sit there without trying to do more or be better. When we simply worship Jesus we become like the birds and the flowers, trusting that our Heavenly Father takes care of us day by day.

Because of Jesus we have a Heavenly Father who will always take care of us.

With Jesus we don’t have to worry today, instead we can just worship.

DO SOMETHING TOGETHER

Go outside and look at the birds and flowers. What are they doing? Are they worried? Do birds and flowers try to prove themselves? Or do they just trust God?

PRAY TOGETHER

Jesus, sometimes I get anxious and worry about things, but help me to work hard like the birds today and trust you to take care of me tomorrow. Amen.