The Basis for Security in Life

Worry and God’s infinite Knowledge
Luke 12:22-32
“For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek, but your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”
 
            How do we insulate and protect ourselves from the struggles, problems, and fears of this world?   How do we ensure we have what we need to deal with tomorrow's challenges?  These are questions we struggle with daily, for we are continually confronted with our vulnerability to trials and tragedies.  In verses 13-21, Christ denounces the dangers of greed.  However, what drives greed?  What causes us to have an insatiable desire to accumulate more wealth?  Why do we always strive for more money and possessions when we have more than we already need?  Jesus confronts us with this question as He tells of a parable of a rich man obsessed with gathering more treasure.  We often focus on his obsession with wealth and fail to delve deeper and ask why he was so consumed with his pursuit. In verses 22-32, Christ seems to change the narrative from greed to worry.  However, if we look closely, we discover a connection between the two.  In verse 30, He connects the insatiable desires of the world and the attitude that we are to have.  The implication is that the obsession with wealth is driven by the perception that wealth insulates us from the troubles and problems of life.  We do not need to worry if we have enough money because our wealth provides the protection we need.  However, this perspective is the folly of fools, for, in the end, wealth cannot protect us from our greatest threat, death itself.  It cannot prevent death nor provide any security when we face God and must give an account for our lives.
            This is what provides the backdrop for what Jesus goes on to state regarding worry.  Worry is the fear of adversity that lurks around the next corner and the confrontation with our inability to prepare for it. So we turn to wealth for protection, but it proves powerless.  The answer lies not in the things of this world and the possessions we might have; the answer lies in the one who governs all creation and knows our needs even before we are aware of them.  Jesus appeals to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field to remind us of the source of our provisions for life and the circumstances we face.  In reality, all the worry and preparation we make today is powerless before the unknown challenges we face tomorrow.  Ultimately, all our planning and preparation do not add a single hour to our lives.   Cancer, adversity, and even death itself still strike the poor and the rich with impartiality.   However, we are not without hope, for God is the one who provides what we cannot obtain.  We no longer need to worry because God has already given us the promise of the blessing and security of his kingdom. The God that provides us with all things is also the God who knows our needs and makes provision for them.
            Instead of worrying about the events that might happen tomorrow and the adversity we might face, we can find peace and security in the God who knows all our needs and accepts responsibility for them.  Because He is in control of our life we no longer need to dwell on the difficulties or troubles that are real or imagined. If our heavenly Father provides and cares for the most insignificant animal and flower, how much more will He provide and care for us when He has already demonstrated that He values us beyond measure? Instead of being anxious about tomorrow and becoming obsessed with trying to protect ourselves through the accumulation of wealth, we can instead enjoy the present, knowing that God has already made provision for tomorrow.