Monday, April 29, 2013

God's goodness is the basis for our peace

Jesus' Sermon on the Mount asks us to focus on God's goodness not only when we pray, but whenever we think about our daily needs.

He tells us to focus on God's goodness when we wonder what we will eat: 
Look at the birds of the air: they do not plant fields or harvest them or store their produce in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26)
He tells us again to consider God's goodness when we wonder about our other needs: 
Consider the lilies of the field. They do not toil, they do not make cloth, but not even Solomon in all his splendor was arrayed as one of these. If that is how God cares for the grass of the field which is here today, but tomorrow is used as fuel for the fire, then how much more will he care for you, oh you of little faith?
He reminds us here of the same thing as when he taught us to pray: to trust God's goodness, that he knows what we need. 

So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you as well.
"Do not worry," he tells us time and again. God's goodness is the basis for our peace.