Mea e ‘ai e tatau ma le aso
“If God so clothes the grass of the field … , will He not much more clothe you?” (Matthew 6:30).
A simple statement of Jesus is a puzzle to some people because they will not bring themselves to simplistic understanding, living in this modern “politically correct” complicated world. How can we maintain the simplicity of Jesus so that we may understand Him?
By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, and obeying Him as He brings us the truths of His Word, life will become increasingly simple and His Word will open up to you like a peddle of flower blossoming. Jesus asks us to consider that “if God so clothes the grass of the field …” how “much more” will He clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him?
Every time we lose ground in our fellowship with God, it is because we have disrespectfully thought that we knew better than Jesus Christ. We have allowed “the cares of this world” to enter in (Matthew 13:22), while forgetting the “much more” of our heavenly Father.
“Look at the birds of the air …” (6:26). Their function is to obey the instincts God placed within them, and God watches over them. Now God feeds the birds, but He doesn’t put the worms in their nest. We, like the birds have to do our part. “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread.” (Genesis 3:19) In simple language, we have to work hard for a living, because you don’t deserve to eat another man’s sweat.
Some people feel that if you put everything up to God then He will take care of everything for you. This is simply a wrong and dangerous attitude. As Christians, we all have our assigned tasks to do. We all have different gifts to witness, rather then be hopelessly complacent and grow lazy and dependent on a welfare system.
In raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus had the power to remove the stone with just His Word alone, but he asked the people to do their part in the plan of salvation, and …”take away the stone.” (John 11:39)
Jesus said that if you have the right relationship with Him and will obey His Spirit within you, then God would care for your “needs” too.
“Consider the lilies of the field …” (6:28). They grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where God plants us, and bury our gifts. Therefore, we don’t take root anywhere. Jesus said if we would obey the Spirit of God within us, He would look after all other things. Remember, God fills our needs, not our greed.
I remember back in the day, some brothers on the block use to collect welfare and yet ride in a shiny Cadillac, wearing their “Nike Jordan’s” living the high life, selling contraband on the streets. And yet go to church every Sunday praising the Lord, singing “Thank you Jesus”. That’s not the blessings God promises my family.
Did Jesus Christ lie to us? Are we experiencing the “much more” He promised? If we are not, it is because we are not obeying the Spirit that God has given us and have cluttered our minds with confusing thoughts, worries and cares of this world.
How much time have we wasted asking God senseless questions while we should be absolutely free to concentrate on our service to Him? Consecration is the act of continually separating myself from everything except that which God has appointed me to do. It is not a one-time experience but an ongoing process, a day-by-day growth. Am I continually separating myself and looking to God every day to guide my life?
Jesus says: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) “If God so clothes the grass of the field … , will He not much more clothe you?
Ia manuia,
failauga p. anoa’i
