Published by admin on 12 Jun 2015 at 09:42 am
TAKE NO THOUGHT
There’s a common phrase people use when departing from someone, saying “take care”. But did you know that goes against what the Bible says?
The Lord Jesus apparently heard that same phrase, for He told people to “take no thought”, which is the same as “DON’T take care”. Let’s look at some of the scriptures:
Mat_6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Mat_6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat_6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Mat_10:19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
While some might think being told to “take care” would be an indicator that they are really concerned with your welfare, it’s really a suggestion to take the care of yourself into your own hands, and out of God’s hands. When people tell me “take care”, I tell them I give all my cares to Jesus. And I know He is watching over me to keep me in all His ways.
Now, that doesn’t mean to be lazy and haphazard in your ways, though. We are exhorted in 1 Peter 5:
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Indeed, we are to be sober and vigilant, and the best way to do that is to cast all your cares upon God. He gives us His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us, that we may escape the snares of the devil. Don’t worry about how you are going to pay your bills. Again, it is written:
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
If you’re busy seeking FIRST the Kingdom of God, you really don’t have time to worry about anything else, and that’s the way God wants it. He wants you to be free from the cares of this life, so you can focus upon Him. Our natural mind says, How can God possibly expect me not to worry about the future? When you were a little kid, did you worry about what you were going to eat or if you were going to have a place to sleep? No? Why not? Because it wasn’t your place to, you probably never even gave it a thought; you just somehow knew your parents would take care of you. Well, it’s like that with God: Jesus said we must come to Him as a little child, and that’s because a child can trust without a lot of questions. We need to be like little children again and learn to trust our heavenly Father. He isn’t going to drop us on our little pumpkin head, you know. How is God going to work things out for you? I don’t know, that isn’t our job to figure that out; it’s HIS. Why not just let God be God and do what He does best?
Today, do something you probably have not ever done, or at least haven’t done in a long time: Tell the LORD you trust Him to take care of you, and roll that heavy burden of your care over on Him. When you do that, if you have truly said it and meant it, you will immediately feel that burden lift from you, and you will feel much lighter. Now that doesn’t mean to go eat twenty pounds of cookies to make the weight back up, though….haha!
God wants you to have a GOOD day, and it starts by putting God in His proper place as the LORD of your life. When you put yourself in His care, you’re in the best place you can ever be, for He is a GOOD AND LOVING FATHER to all His children. So therefore, take no thought, God has your back. In other words, DON’T take care, as the world would tell you. Take your cares to Jesus and dump them at His feet, and worship Him and walk away CAREFREE!
Mary Anne Ezmerlian on 16 Jun 2015 at 8:46 am #
Great article Brother Jerry!