Chasing Ghosts

“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?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life…For the idolaters eagerly seek these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” Matthew 6:26-33.

When thinking on this passage, I have always drawn a parallel between providing for my children and God providing for me.  God has spoken in no uncertain terms about His faithfulness in providing for us.  When our children were little they never doubted there would be food in the pantry or warm blankets on their bed.  They never worried that they would thirst to death or not be able to be cared for.  They had complete confidence in us as parents.  So why do we worry about the provisions of God that have already been promised…taken care of…stored up for us by the One who owns everything? 

This morning I noticed something I never have before.  The spirit of worrying in this passage has been connected with idolatry.  Our particular verses are speaking of worrying about things that God has already given the final word on.  He has promised He will give us whatever we need…food…drink …clothes…all these things.   But when our worry becomes worship we run the risk of losing the very things over which we obsess.  The things we hold too tightly will be the very things that God uses to loosen our grip…redirect our focus…reorient our worship.  This principle was told in a parable by Jesus Himself.  “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do…I will store my surplus grain.  And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of grain laid up for many years.’ ‘But God said to him, You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’” Luke 12:18-21

God expects each of us to tend to our lives with legitimate planning, but when we spend more time on our planning than our praise we miss out on the peace that God provides.  While we chase ghosts that we will never catch, the Holy Ghost is chasing us for our undivided worship.