v.22
When Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow," He meant it literally. Do not worry about the next day. For us, "Do not worry about Monday." He also meant it in reference to our tomorrows- in essence the future.
This is not a message against planning. The wise plan and are prepared.
This is a message about going ahead of God and not looking to Him for direction.
It is not a message which despises using our brain.
It is a message about completely trusting the LORD for tomorrow, for our tomorrows.
Proverbs 3.5-6
The reasoning of the spies sounded good but it wasn't sound. It left God out of the planning.
He deserves to be at the center. It is the wisest thing to put Him at the center. Life becomes balanced when Christ is at the center and all things revolve around Him. If something or someone or some love gets that place you are out of balance.
Worrying is placing your problems at the center.
It can take on different forms:
*It can be fretting in our hearts and minds.
*It can be trying to figure out how God is going to work.
*It can be taking all sorts of action to find out what is ahead.
1. Sending Our Thoughts Ahead. -v.22a
Let us send men ahead.
Look at v.21 They had God's Word.
Look at vs. 32-33 They had a visible proof of His Presence.
v.33 He went ahead of them They ended up getting ahead of Him. See how bad this was. They put themselves in God's place. They became the leaders of their own thinking and figuring out how they could take on the enemy.
I Corinthians 10.11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the Fulfillment of the Ages has come.
Sending our thoughts ahead we can imagine horrible scenarios.
v.39 And the little ones that you said would be taken captive... they will enter the land!
This thinking ahead leaves God out.
With God's Word, God's Presence and God's Record of His Faithfulness in the past v.30 they still projected, without reliance on God.
To not believe God's Word is to make Him out to be a liar.
To not acknowledge His Presence is to trample the Son of God underfoot (Hebrews 10.29a)
To not allow the Past Faithfulness of God to encourage and help us face the future is to insult the Spirit of Grace. (Hebrews 10.29b)
Do not take thought about tomorrow. Matthew 6.34
Another thing we need to watch out for as we seek to obey Jesus' instructions concerning not worrying about tomorrow is:
2. Spying Out Rather Than Listening to God. -v.22b
Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us....
This was not God's idea, neither is there any record of them seeking the LORD about it.
Once again this sounded good but it was not sound. Like the erroneous teaching today that God wants everyone rich. Sounds good- eliminate poverty, everyone has a piece of the pie, etc. But it is not sound teaching. Jesus said, "The poor you will always have with you."
Look at what this action begot. vs.26-28
Here is an example of human policy over Divine Wisdom. God will take care of enemies. This was true under the Old Covenant for Israel and is true under the New and Eternal Covenant for Christ's Church.
Don't be anxious about anything Philippians 4.6 Anxiety leads to poor decisions- decisions based on anxious worrisome thoughts and not on God's Word. Never make a major decision in time of distress- Fenelon.
Finally... Watch out for:
3. Setting Your Mind On Your Own Understanding. -v.22c
Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.
The way we take- the route
What is up ahead- the towns we will come to.
v.32 is the solution Proverbs 3.5-6 is the way to live.
For some of us Jesus' words, "Do not worry about tomorrow" seem impossible. Before you beat yourself up remember a whole generation (600,000 plus men) failed in this area. Jesus taught us to pray for forgiveness for our debts, trespasses and sins in the LORD's Prayer. If you fall short you have an Advocate with the Father.
For those of us who are strong in the faith, let us bear with the weak, encourage the timid and be merciful to those who doubt. God help us as we make our way to Heaven. Let's see to it that no one misses the grace of God.
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