Confident Faith

Confident Faith Luke 12:22-34Jesus taught His disciples about the nature of worry. He told them worrying about the future wouldn't change their present reality.Jesus invited His followers to consider God's role as a Provider for their needs.He encouraged them to consider how ravens survive. Although birds can't contribute to their future, God takes care of them. He warned His followers of wasting their strength on hypotheticals, rather than living in their present realities.Jesus compared how His followers should live to
how the unbelieving world lived. The Gentile world strove for physical provision. Materialism was the driving desire of the Gentile mind. In comparison, followers of Jesus were to trust God to provide for them. Jesus described God as a loving Father who knows the needs of His children. Jesus gave an example of wildflowers to describe God's provision. Jesus provided an alternative future for His followers. Instead of being focused on their earthly future, He called them to focus on the kingdom of God. His kingdom isn't an earthly kingdom defined by laws and borders. It's the initial stirrings of God's redemptive work in the world comprised of the church and those who hope in Christ. Jesus told His followers to seek God's kingdom first and all other needs would be met. Instead of fixing their attention on becoming wealthy and self-sufficient, Jesus wanted them to trust God with their future.Confident faith draws us away from worry and
draws us toward a celebration of life. God gives
us what the world cannot offer.