S34P5 – The kingdom of heaven: sufficient

Luke 12:29-32

So as for you, do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink; nor have an anxious and unsettled mind.  For all the nations of the world greedily seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them.  But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.  Do not be afraid and anxious, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

One of the defining characteristics of this world is scarcity. We see people claw and scratch to climb their way to the top out of a need to have more and more. They scrimp and save to prepare for a future that is decades away without knowing whether tomorrow will actually come. They hoard for themselves more things than they could possibly need or use in the fear that one day they may not have enough. Scarcity even applies to our social lives. How many of us need to stay connected all the time to make sure that we do not miss out on something everyone else gets to enjoy? These trends are nothing more than an indication of how unfulfilling and unsatisfying this world is. If we are dependent on these temporary things to satisfy us, we will always feel in need.

God wants our focus to be on what matters first. We are not to want and search as the world does. Our motivations must be different, and our desires must be different. We cannot allow ourselves to be consumed with the worries that do so much damage among humankind and create so much division. We will have enough food because God will make sure of it. We will have a place to live because God will make sure of it. We will have every need met because God will make sure of it. Yes, He gives us skills so that we can do the work necessary to make a living and fulfill our responsibilities. That is the key: God always provides. Provision is not something we need to worry about. What we need to focus on is his kingdom and pursuing it first and foremost. He wants us to be fulfilled, but we cannot get there without having him first. Our fulfillment comes through him.

God’s kingdom is more than sufficient to meet every one of our desires. Whatever we lack, it can provide. There is no question that the heavenly storehouses have enough to go around for everyone. If we remain distracted by the things that God already has promised to take care of, then we lose time and energy that we should be using to fulfill our heavenly calling. The point is that we never need to question whether we will be taken care of. God is not only willing but joyful at taking care of his children. It is his good pleasure to see that we have the sustenance of his kingdom even in this place. Let us trust that his word is true and forget about the things we do not have. Instead, let us remember how much we have gained in the kingdom of heaven. Father, thank You for your all-providing kingdom, and remind us to focus on You instead of our need.