CARELESS IN THE CARE OF GOD -- Devotional for September 24, from "Good Seeds"

Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description – careless in the care of God! But you count much more to Him than birds. Have any of you, by fussing in front of a mirror, ever gotten taller by so much as an inch, or younger by so much as a day? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color or design quite like theirs? If God gives such attention to His wildflowers – most of which are never seen – don’t you think He’ll attend to you, take pride in you, and do His best for you and in you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving! People who don’t know God fuss over these things. But you know both God and how He works – so stop fussing! Rather, steep your life in God’s provisions, and God’s reality, and stop worrying about missing out! (Matthew 6:26-33)

What is the greatest sermon ever preached? Many say it is our Lord’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7). If so, what’s so great about it? Is it steeped in deep theology? Does it gush with cross-references and word studies? Does it soar with the tongues of men and flow with the language of angels? To all of these we might have to answer, “Not especially!” Jesus just speaks to everyday people with everyday problems, with everyday language that even a child can understand - a good thing since we’re all just children when it comes to the things of the heart. And that's what makes this sermon so great: it speaks to the heart. A lecture peeks into the head of a man, but a sermon penetrates deep into the heart of a man. It does this because it addresses his deepest hurts, needs and desires. Jesus looked around Him and all He saw were wondering, worrying people. Then He looked above their heads, up into the trees, and over their shoulders, out into the fields – and He had His sermon: “Folks, follow my eyes; see what I see, and you’ll cease to fret. Don’t just look at your need, look at God’s provision! Don’t just look at your looks – your looks – look at God’s! In His creatures, the birds, and in His creation, the flowers, you have a glimpse of Him and His ways. How could He possibly not care about something He made? As down-and-out as you may feel right now, surely you still can admit that you are far and away more important and valuable to God than a lowly sparrow or an uncultivated crocus – and yet look how He feeds them, and dresses them! Maybe it’s time we all stopped worrying about missing out, and start noticing instead how God is looking out – for us!