Scripture – Luke 12:22-34
This Gospel scripture from Luke is a familiar one to most of us. We’ve heard it many times, and some of us can probably quote some of it from memory. It’s a very powerful part of the Bible telling us what our priorities should be.
But today, I’d like for us to look at this scripture — maybe — a little differently. I’d like for us to look at it from the point of view of how our Creator feels about us and our lives.
We are told we are not to worry or be anxious about tomorrow at the beginning of this set of scriptures, which is not an easy thing to do. We are told not to be concerned about “what we are to eat or what we are to wear,” for God will take care of those needs. Have you ever thought about why we are told that?
Think about your life:
How busy are you?
How many nights during a week are you gone from your home because of meetings or activities?
How often have you fretted over how to get dinner ready in time to make it to your meeting or activity?
How many times have you worried about whether you would get the house ready for guests that were coming?
How many times have you sped on the highway so as not to be late for an engagement or appointment?
We’re ALL guilty of most of these statements, and these statements aren’t unique to our society. In New Testament times, there was this same type of hurried atmosphere, only with different activities. People’s lives were still “too full.” People still felt empty because their lives were centered too much on “things of the world” and God felt their pain. God cared about their lives. God cares about our life. God loves us just the way we are.
Our Creator wants us to relax and enjoy life. God wants us to understand that all our needs will be taken care of — whatever we need materially will be given to us. God will get us there if it is important. We need not speed and rush. If we need someone special in our life, relax, for God will bring them into our life at the right time. If we are being persecuted, God will protect us because we are God’s children.
Verse 30 says, “God knows you have need of these things.” And in verse 33, it goes on to say, “It is God’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” God will give us all we need because our Creator cares for us.
Verse 33 says we should sell what we have and give alms. The Greek word translated “give” here is the Aorist Imperative Tense, which infers “to give again and again.” You see, if our hearts are set on heavenly things, that is, such as God’s will for us, then as God blesses us, we are naturally going “to give again and again.”
Why? Because we want to do what pleases our Creator.
In verse 34, it says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” During Bible times, it was believed that the heart was the starting point for all motives of humankind — our thinking, our feelings, our desires, our will, and our actions all start from the heart. So, if we truly know our Creator’s desire for us, then our thinking, feelings, desires, will, and actions will all have only one purpose: our heart will be devoted and set on doing things that bless others in God’s Name.
Our response for our Creator’s goodness and grace is, will be like King David describes in Psalm 116: 5-7, when he says “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. The Lord protects the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.”
When I am discouraged and feeling low, I remember the poem “Footprints in the Sand” written by Flora Haines Loughead in 1892:
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”
When you feel low and discouraged, remember these things. Our Creator loves us. Remember the Bible tells us our Creator will provide for ALL our needs if we truly love God with all of our heart. There is no reason why we shouldn’t be smiling all the time. We have every reason to smile for we are children of God and have been promised that we will receive all we need. So, smile and be thankful!
Rev. Dawn Flynn is the pastor for New Life Metropolitan Community Church located in Gastonia, N.C.