He Is Sufficient
“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.”
These two verses are found in the second half of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). The previous two verses remind us that God will provide our basic needs such as food, drink, and clothing.
Jesus uses birds as an example for us. They do nothing to make sure they have food and yet they still have all that they need. How? Because God provides for them. He uses the example of flowers and how they flourish even though they do nothing to make themselves grow. How? God provides the necessities of sunlight and rain that cause them to grow and be beautiful.
After sharing each example, Jesus says in Matthew 6:31-32, “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.”
Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is addressing mindsets and heart postures because He wants His followers to understand that there is no external transformation without internal transformation.
In verses 33-34, Jesus is encouraging us to prioritize giving the attention of our minds and affections of our hearts to seeking God’s Kingdom and his righteousness, not earthly basic needs.
He is not saying to forgo responsibility or take for granted the provision he offers for our basic needs. He is simply saying, “talk to me, pay attention to me, walk with me, and trust me as you go throughout your day.” He is saying, “do not give your mind and heart to figuring out how to acquire all the food, drink, and clothing necessary. Give your mind and heart to seeking my Kingdom and the righteousness that comes from me.”
In an earlier part of the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in.”
Again, Jesus is not saying forgo having things on earth. He is simply saying not to let earthly possessions, status, successes, and relationships become more important than knowing God, God’s Kingdom, God’s righteousness, and eternity.
In saying these things, Jesus is inviting his followers to abide in him as they go throughout their day, keeping their minds and hearts focused on him.
I am stirred as I write this because it is so easy to take my mind and heart off of Jesus and focus on my basic needs. As a husband, dad, friend, employee, and pastor it is so easy to allow basic needs and day-to-day life to take away my attention and affections from Jesus. These verses remind me to return sign back up to giving Jesus my attention and affections—even as I tend to my daily responsibilities.
I am not for sure what has your attention and affections. My hope and prayer is that Jesus' words encourage you to prioritize giving your mind and heart to seeking God, his Kingdom, and his righteousness. We can trust that all other things will be added to us as we seek him because he knows we need them.
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