Do Not Worry

A little comment from my husband, "I think we are falling behind on the budget." 

A trip to the grocery store.  The price of milk up to $4.50 a gallon.  I can't afford the hamburger at over $4.00 a pound.  I opt for chicken.

It is time to fill up the tank on the van.  Well over $100 is guzzled by that hungry beast.  My husband makes the hard choice to skip one of Troy's football games to save a little gas money.

I see the college bills.  Yikes!  Thankful for responsible children who are working hard to pay their own way, but I sure would like to be able to help out more.

Then it happens.  I start to worry.  I know I shouldn't.  God has always taken care of us. 

I persist in my worry.  Fretting and even complaining.  I didn't deserve grace.  God gave it anyway, just like he did for those Israelites wandering in the desert so many years ago. 

A friend stopped by out of the blue.  She said, "I have this coat.  It's brand new.  It hasn't ever been worn, but my son outgrew it before he could ever wear it.  I wanted Kaishawn to have it.  I know it's a little big now.  But maybe you could save it for later."

God's gentle voice telling me, "See I am big enough to take care of the future."

Shared some time with friends from a distance.  He commented on the few tomatoes I had sitting on the dishwasher.  I offered them to him.  We are tired of them now...having eaten on them all summer.  He handed me a slip of paper and said, "This should pay for them."  I opened it, and it was a $120 gift certificate for the grocery store.

God's gentle voice telling me, "I promised to provide food."

Shopping with a friend today.  Some of the boys were needing jeans.  I found 3 pairs at the thrift store that looked like new, but still needed a few more.  We stopped at Walmart and found 3 more pair on clearance. 

God's gentle voice telling me, "I promised to provide clothing."

We stopped at Braum's on our way home to pick up milk.  The lady who checked me out said, "Since you spent more then $15, you get a free loaf of bread."

And I repented of my worrying.  Why did I ever doubt?  God has always provided for our needs.  He promised he would.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

Lord, forgive me for doubting.  Forgive me for complaining.  Forgive me for worrying.  May I seek You and You Alone!  Amen.

"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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  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?"

 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  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, O you of little faith?  So do not worry , saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:25-34