◄ What Does Luke 12:31 Mean? ►

In this everyday world, the struggles and strivings in life have become an accepted 'norm'. This passage exposes the attitude of the majority, where a passion to accumulate wealth and the desire for more possessions, not only gives birth to greed and selfishness, but causes us to worry about things we need, strive for things we desire, crave things we want and fight to gain more 'things' in the roundabout of life.

However, the truth of this verse is staggering, when once accepted and applied. Our minds should not cave into life's problems and perplexities, but should be fashioned in the likeness of the heavenly Man. Anxious thoughts and futile strivings, in their various guises and disguises, is a sin that reflects unbelief in God's gracious promises of provision. How much more important that we should praise and thank God that we have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and forgiven of the sins we commit.

Christ's simple lesson about the birds of the air and flowers of the field should expose the futility of anxious strivings and futile cravings, for God provides for the simple sparrow and dresses the lovely lily of the field in a magnificent gown. Worry is a fruitless exercise and too often has a detrimental effect on home-life and health, for anxious thoughts cannot achieve anything and are likely to increase fretfulness, spawn fear, and cause illnesses.

Redemption is not only the forgiveness of sins committed in our bodies. It is also being clothed with the righteousness of Christ. Redemption is becoming fully and increasingly identified with the very nature and mind of the Lord Jesus Himself. Redemption is becoming so fully identified with Christ Jesus our Lord, that we can say with Paul that the life that I now live in this mortal body is not me (my old former self, my old-man, my Adamic sin-nature), it is not me that lives and influences my life choices and thoughts, but the indwelling Spirit of Christ, Who has sway and influence on my newly 'born-again' human spirit.

Jesus lived a life encompassed by problems and perplexities, sorrow and scorn, disappointments and disease, rejection, hatred, and contempt, but He lived an exemplary life that was free from worry. WHY? Why was the Lord Jesus free from worry? His every thought was taken captive to His Father. Every difficulty he faced was immediately given to His Father in prayer, through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Potential worry was overtaken by an unfeigned dependence on God. Temptation was rebuffed by the never-changing Word of God, and difficulties were infused with a desire to do the will of the Father, through a Spirit-led trust in God.

Although Jesus was fully God, He lived His life fully as a Man. He demonstrated to us the way that God created us to live: in total dependence on Him, casting all our cares on Him, and seeking first the kingdom of God, for His holy name's sake.

Rather than permitting our minds to be dragged down into the miry clay of the world, through fretful worry and anxious thoughts, we should take every thought captive to Christ and allow our hearts to ascend into heavenly places in Him, knowing that His way always turns out for the best, especially when it differs from our own objectives! When we trust Him in everything His plan for our life becomes even better than the plans we make ourselves!!

Rather than permitting worry to darken our heart and cloud our mind we should look to Jesus and seek our Saviour with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength - for He is not only our Redeemer and King but is the personification and embodiment of all that is the Kingdom of Heaven, for Christ is all in all.

Let us seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, by seeking Christ and setting the eyes of our heart on the beauty of the Lord Jesus and trusting Him in every circumstance of Life, even when we don't understand, for in so doing, the worry of the world will be replaced with the wisdom of the WORD, as our mind rests in Him.

Father, You have shown me that every thought that comes into my mind can be turned to evil or good, worry or faith, defeat or victory. Thank You that I have access to the very mind of Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Help me to take every thought captive by turning my heart to the Lord Jesus, for in seeking Him I will be seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, which is the bedrock of faith in God. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.