May 14

God Will Provide

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. — Matt 6:33

We are to take no thought for our own life, for food or raiment; because that is God‘s part, not ours. There is one thing, however, for which we are to take thought, not anxious but very earnest thought. We are to take thought about our duty, about doing God’s will and filling our place in God’s world.

We ought to get this very clearly in our mind. Too many people worry far more about their food and raiment, least they shall be left to want, than they do about doing well their whole duty, That is, they are more anxious about God’s part in their lives than they are about their own . They fear God may not take care of them, but they do not have any fear that they may fail in fidelity to Him. We ought to learn well that providing for our wants is God’s business, not ours. We have nothing at all to do with it. But we have everything to do with our own duty, our allotted work, the doing of God’s will. God will never do these things for us. If we do not do them, they must remain undone; if we do them with fidelity, God will care for us.

The noblest life possible in this world is simple consecration to Christ and to duty, with no anxiety about anything else. We may not always be fed luxuriously, nor be clothed in scarlet and fine linen; yet food convenient for us will always be provided, and raiment sufficient to keep us warm. But suppose we are near starving! Well, we must just go on doing our part and not worrying; in due time, somehow, God will provide. Here we have our Lord’s own promise of this. The truth is, too many of us take a great deal more thought about our support than about our duty. Then of course we forfeit the promise and may suffer. How much better the other way — ours the doing, God’s the providing.