Blogging Through The Gospels: Matthew 6

Today I took the ACT. Yep, the big, scary test that I've been studying for...for months! The test itself actually went fine, but I thought it was quite interesting what God had "arranged" for me to read during my quiettime.

Can you guess what He told me? Do not worry. One of the main points in Matthew 6--today's chapter--was do not worry. Reading this particular chapter on this particular day certainly helped me quiet my fears, quite a bit! Coincidence? I don't think so. This is just another example of our wonderful, personal God surprising and encouraging us just when we need it!

Matthew 6 is another real hard chapter to blog on--so much is packed into these 34 verses. I can't begin to talk about all of the things I liked, but I will share some of my favorites. Of course, one of my favorite sections was the part on not worrying...

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear....Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:25-26)

As I'm reading this passage, I'm thinking, Yes, yes....good stuff. I've memorized these verses years ago, and even though I haven't kept them in my active memory they still are so true and good.

But verse 27 was where God really hit too close to home for me:

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

Even though I've studied for the ACT for six months, I can't tell you I wasn't a bit worried and nervous, even though I was praying that God would help me do my best. And as I'm happily reading through Matthew 6 about not worrying, what does God say?

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

These words were written thousands of years ago, but for me I felt like they were written especially for me. Can I paraphrase my own version of Matthew 6:27 for you?

"Who of you by worrying can score higher on the ACT, slow it down, or speed it up?"

I just thought that was so cool--it seemed like God had intentionally picked out a verse just for me just when I needed it! Of course, I enjoyed the rest of Jesus' discourse on worry, especially on how the flowers of the field are more beautiful than even Solomon. But still...Matthew 6:27 was my favorite.

OK. Now onto our daily cleansing with SOAP! I was going to feature Matthew 6:27, but then I also really liked verse 33:

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Observation:

This verse came at the end of Jesus' talk on worrying. He was talking about how we shouldn't worry about our life, what we will eat, drink, or wear. And then He says this verse.

Application:

The point I get out of this verse is that when we make God our first priority, He will supply everything we need. He may not give us the latest movie, car, or house, but He will give us what we truly need. That's comforting!

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you so much for giving me this passage to read on not worrying. Thank you for helping me through the ACT, and thank you for giving me everything I truly need. Thank you for being such an awesome God. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

P.S.--To learn more about this blogging-through-the-gospels program, or if YOU would like to join yourself (you're more than welcome-jump right in!!) click here.