Today I've been thinking about Matthew 6 where Jesus says:

"don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern"

I was struck by how simple what Jesus is saying actually is - "don't worry because if you put My Kingdom first everything you need will be provided." Perhaps this is why the early church so outlived those around them. They weren't concerned with winning arguments, but with living the kingdom kind of life. For them this teaching of Jesus wasn't some kind of mantra to chant when worried ("I must not worry, I must not worry") but rather a command which must find its practical outworking in real life.

How far am I from making the Kingdom of God my primary concern? How often I fall back on behaving like a "pagan," worrying as though it's me who is in control and not God.

Carson puts it like this: "...today's grace is sufficient only for today and should not be wasted on tomorrow. If tomorrow does bring new trouble, there will be new grace to meet it."

*Lord teach me to live this way. Not just to see your words as 'nice words' but as words which can revolutionise my being. Embed them in who I am.*