The Gift of Daily Provision

Stacey Utecht, a Moody alumna, gave up her job to follow God’s leading. This meant financial risk, but God provided. “Yesterday, my pastor shared how God provides for His people. Today, I had friends in town visiting. Before we parted, they put an envelope in my pocket saying they wanted to bless me. When they pulled away, I saw it was $1,000. God saw my need and was extravagant in meeting it. I share this to encourage you if you are also in need. God is able!”

Today’s passage addresses worries we face on a daily basis about our finances and other needs. The word therefore means you should look at what came before. Earlier in Matthew 6, Jesus teaches His disciples the Lord’s Prayer, reminds them to store up treasure in heaven (v. 19), and calls them to serve God rather than money (v. 24). Why does Jesus turn our attention from prayer to worry? The earlier verses remind us to keep an eternal mindset. While we live and work in this world, we are citizens of heaven. While we share the same concerns as our neighbors, we can be certain of the Lord’s care and a guaranteed eternal future.

“Therefore” we should not worry (v. 25). God, our faithful provider, values us and will provide for us. Just like the Israelites, we tend to forget this truth. We believe we are in control and responsible for our own destiny. This passage reminds us that God will provide down to the smallest detail.

Verse 28 asks: “Why do you worry about clothes?” God is concerned about what you eat, drink, and wear! God as our Father knows what we need and will provide. Rather than let our heart worry about temporary needs, we are to shift our focus to “his kingdom and his righteousness” (v. 33). This alone is an antidote to worry.

Pray with Us

Ken Heulitt is Moody’s chief financial officer who oversees many vital financial decisions that affect the media and education branches at Moody Bible Institute. May God bless Ken and his team with wisdom and discernment in their work.

BY Jamie Janosz

Jamie Janosz serves as a content development manager for Moody Bible Institute. She writes monthly devotionals for Today in the Word and has published non-fiction essays with Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics blog. Recently Jamie wrote a book titled When Others Shuddered: Eight Women Who Refused to Give Up (Moody Publishers). Jamie studied theology and writing at Moody Bible Institute, Columbia College, and Illinois State University. She lives on the Atlantic coast of Florida with her husband, Milt, and daughter, Sabrina.