Your Heavenly Father Knows

The daffodil in my garden which bloomed on Feb 7^th and has since borne hailstorms and strong winds and yet stayed upright and beautiful is at last fading – a whole month it has brought cheer to us –

1 Peter 1:24, 25:

“All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

The Word of God is eternally true and to be totally relied upon!

Peter is quoting here from Isaiah 40:6-8. This chapter has so many encouraging verses in it,beginning: “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” and ending with those great promises of strength for all those who wait upon God. Do read Isaiah 40 when you have some spare minutes today.

 Jesus takes up this theme in the sermon on the mount when he says:

30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown

 into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or 

‘What shall we wear?’ 

32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

This is Jesus Himself telling us not to have worry for tomorrow or anxiety about the future.  

With the scare about the possible epidemic spread of the coroanvirus, people here in UK are panic buying, to the extent that in some places, there is not even any toilet paper left on the shelves. I read today that some are going out and buying new freezers to then fill them up! In all of this, where do we stand? If people empty the shops, then shouldn’t we get in there quickly before it all goes!

NO – Jesus tells us clearly in Mt 6:33 to seek FIRST the Kingdom of Heaven – that means looking to our heavenly Father for each day. He will show us what to do. If you have that gentle prompt in your spirit to buy enough provisions to last in case of 2 weeks' quarantine, then go ahead. But otherwise keep to your normal patterns. Father has promised to look after our needs. The supermarkets are not our certainty, but Father God is! He is our Provider and Protector, and here are some more scriptures to meditate on today and let your heart be still before God.

“Be still and know that I am GOD”! Psalm 46:10

the New American Standard version says:  “Cease striving and KNOW that I am GOD!”

Psalm 46: 1-3

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

The Lord of Hosts is with us…. V 7 and 11

Spend time in this wonderful Psalm. Speak it out loud for yourself, for your family and friends.

The daffodil may have faded, but I can still stand strong in the grace and strength of Almighty God.

Psalm 34:4-8

I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!