35 DON F O O T ================================

• H O L D

READING

35 DON’T BE ANXIOUS OR LIVING GOD’S WAY

PRAY ‘I praise you O Lord; teach me your ways’ (Psalm 119:12).

READ Matthew 6:19-34.

THINK What is meant by ‘treasures on earth’ and ‘treasures in heaven’? List the differences between them. What should be our attitude to them? —————————————————————- FOCUS For many of us life is very complex. In today’s reading Jesus tells us how to live in a simpler, less anxious way. SEEK TRUE RICHES (19-21). In every age, some people are chiefly interested in making money or gaining possessions. Jesus chose poverty for himself. There are two disadvantages, he says, about aiming at riches. One is that even when you’ve got them you can’t be sure of them. They get damaged or stolen. Love, truth, friendship with God, are the things that last. The other problem is that the more you think about improving your life here, the less you focus on heaven. HAVE ONE MASTER (24). The desire for money and possessions can easily become the controlling factor in a person’s life. But Christians have only one Master – the Lord Jesus. Why is it impossible to love both God and money? You can’t put God first and also go for the fattest pay envelope. AVOID ANXIETY (24-34). Two thousand years ago (just like today) people worried about the future. They had no welfare state either. Of course they were anxious as we often are. Jesus points out that the spring flowers make a fine show; the birds get by. Our heavenly Father is no less concerned about people than about wild life. In fact Jesus forbids his followers to worry about such needs. He commands us to concern ourselves with God’s cause. God will look after the rest. —————————————————————- PRAY Lord God, save us from divided loyalties and from fears about the future. ==========