“²⁵Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” — Matthew 6:25-26 (ESV)

God provides for my needs. What I eat, drink, and wear. No need for me to worry about those items which are a provision to my survival.

I know what some may be thinking. How am I going to get what I need if I don’t have other things. Well, lets look at the life of Jesus as the example. Even at the beginning of His life, He had nowhere to go, as He was born in a stable and placed in a manger (no luxury hotel for the King of kings). Jesus grew up the son of a carpenter in a modest home with a working family (no fancy duds for the Lord). Jesus really had no formal home as He traveled the countryside preaching and teaching (no 10,000 sq ft house on a mountainside). And He walked or took a fishing boat everywhere (no private jet or yacht to get around in). Jesus was dependent on His father and others all the way to His death and beyond.

I know of those who have clothes and food and water, yet they are concerned that they do not have designer brands, caviar, or fine wine. These same folks are also concerned that they do not have enough and work constantly, and sometimes unethically and wrongfully, to earn more to have more. They are not satisfied or content with that which they have been provided.

God will and has provided for all of the NEEDS we have in life. He may not provide the designer shoes, but I have foot coverings. He may not provide caviar to have for dinner, but ground meat for spaghetti is abundant. He may not provide fine wine to drink, but we have running water in the home we live.

God provides for our NEEDS and will bless us as well. I have clothes without holes in them. I have chicken to eat, I have tea to drink. These are all blessings as what I need is just clothes, food, and water. God knows our needs and provides for them we do not have to work overtime sowing for them.

In verse 26 above, Jesus reminds us that we are more than the birds of the air and God provides for them in the moment. He will provide for us just the same. He was provided for each day and we will be as well. I do not have to store things up in order to have more in the future. I have to concern myself with the day and the day only. And that concern should be with doing the work of the LORD as opposed to the gathering of possessions for myself in this world.

Would it be nice to have more, yes. Having a new pair of shoes, a fine steak, and a good bottle of wine are great to enjoy from time to time. I have to remember that those are things that God will provide as a blessing and they are not something that I should be working to provide for myself. I have to sow the work of God to reap the reward for others thanks to the love and provision of God.

“³¹Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” — Matthew 6:31-33 (ESV)

What are the things that you are concerned with receiving or having? Are you looking for those things that may place you in the good company of others? What if you sowed to reap the provision of God for others and accepted the simple PROVISION of God in your own life?