Luke 12: 21-31
"And he said to his disciples, 'Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.'" (ESV).
It has been hot and humid down in Waco, TX. As warmth and humidity has been pushing in from the Gulf of Mexico, everyone in central Texas has probably said something about it. Little did we know, a cold front was on the way. This cold front clashed with the warm air mass, sparking up thunderstorms across the country. What did it leave behind? Relief. I woke up this morning and it was a glorious 60 degrees as I sat on my porch. I had just finished reading Titus, and looking for something new. As I prayed that God would set a scripture on my heart, he did just that. I heard the Lord nudge me to "consider the lilies". I flipped to Luke 12, read, prayed, and felt inspired to write a devotional.
In my opinion, Jesus' use of imagery in this passage is one of the most beautiful in the Bible. This is the intended focus of this devotional.
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!
He first directs our attention to the Ravens, a traditionally unsightly bird in the eyes of the Jewish people. The Mosaic Law claims ravens to be unclean ((Lev 11:15), (Deuteronomy 14:14)). Also, the raven has carnivorous habits when given the opportunity, as seen in Proverbs 30:17. What a beautiful thing it is for the Lord to care so deeply for the ravens. God provides for the ravens, so why wouldn't he provide for those made in his image? God is so ready to give us his divine love, we only need to seek his kingdom!
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin... But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!
Next, we hear of the lilies, or flowers of the field. I picture a big green field full of beautiful blooming flowers, and reflect on how amazing and intricate creation is. God gives the flowers everything they need. I want to hone in on the words of Jesus when he mentions "how they grow". Not only are we told to imagine a beautiful scene of flowers, but also how they grow. The precise development of a flowers growth is amazing. I think of a slow motion video of a flower growing, and how it seems to reach up to the Lord in praise as it grows. How they explode with beauty. Did you know you also explode with beauty? God sees this, and if he takes care of the flowers, he will also take care of you.
...yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
King Solomon had it all. Not only was he the richest man who ever lived, he also was the most wise. Check out 1 Kings 10:14-25 if you want to fully understand how much this man had here on this earth [also check out Ecclesiastes to learn how much his wealth meant to him during his last days]. Solomon had no shortage of stuff; he had the finest clothes, vast properties, and marvelous temples. The disciples knew this about Solomon, even if they weren't educated in Torah, Solomon was already a legendary figure at this time. They fully understood what Jesus was saying when he mentioned that even Solomon couldn't put on a robe more beautiful than the flowers of the field. You, yes you, are more valuable to God than these things.
God knows our needs, and he provides. God has done miracles to provide for his children. He wants to give us what we need. He wanted it so bad, that he gave us the ultimate provision, the ultimate sustainer of life, the only Son of God, Jesus Christ. Above all, we need to seek Jesus, we need to seek the kingdom of God. If life is really more than food or more than what we put on (v. 23), then what is it about? It is about seeking the kingdom of God. When we find it, we will find Jesus waiting there for us. We will have new purpose in life. We will have communion with the Father. We will have everything we need.
As I sit and feel the cool breeze of the cold front come and go, I am reminded of God's provision. God gives us what we need, and maybe what we need isn't what we want, but God knows what we need better than we do.
I pray that whoever is reading this is able to see that God cares for you more than the birds of the air, and lilies in the field. Rest in that truth.
