WHY IT MATTERS //
Life with God is not devoid of effort. There are things God calls us to do. What matters is what we are doing, why we are doing it and whose strength we are using to do it. When we work from God’s grace to do things that He asks us to do we will find that there is provision and peace. When we do things without his guidance, from our own strength, we will often find ourselves toiling and striving without peace.
In Genesis 2 we see God plant a fruitful garden (vs 9) then He places Adam in the middle of it to work and take care of it (vs 15). This is a picture of working from grace; receiving an assignment from God along with his provision to steward the work that God initiates. Then in Genesis 3:17-19 we read the curse that Adam received in response to breaking covenant with God. Now through sweat and toil he will plant himself and he will reap little for his effort. Jesus has broken every curse that sin brought into the world. This include the curse of toiling for little fruit. God desires for us to live fruitful lives, His way.
WHAT IT'S TALKING ABOUT //
The book of Matthew is one of four gospels written to give an account of the life and major events of the ministry of Jesus. In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches us to work for things that will last for eternity, not simply things that are temporal. The work that God calls us to do lays up treasure for us in heaven that can never be stolen or destroyed.
Matthew 6:25-34 NIV
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
26 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?
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.