Do Not Worry

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘Whatshall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all thesethings, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matt. 6:31-32).

There are two reasons not to worry. First, that is what thepagans do. Do you want to be like the unbelievers? Second, your Father knowsthat you need all these things.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and allthese things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33).

I remember 4 January 1958. We lived just off Piney BranchRoad on Aspen Street in Washington, D.C. It was a Saturday morning. We had alittle food in the house, but it was not the kind that our three preschoolchildren liked: no peanut butter, milk, bread, eggs, or orange juice. We had nomoney to buy food. Standing in the dining room, Bessie and I read this passagefrom Matthew to God. We told Him that we were not anxious and that we wereseeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.

The morning mail arrived. It included an envelope postmarkedLancaster, PA. Inside the envelope was $3 and a tract on hell by Bishop J.C.Ryle. It had no return address. We thanked God and bought the food.

By Tuesday evening, we were still out of money and again outof food. We explained the problem to the children and asked Douglas to pray. Hewas 4½ years old. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Douglas thanked God formilk and bread.

On Wednesday morning, I made pancakes with no milk and noeggs. After breakfast, there was a knock at the door. Bessie went to answer it.It was the milkman. He said that he had four quarts of milk for us. Bessie toldhim that we had not ordered it and he must have the wrong address. He answeredthat he had the correct address. Someone else had ordered it for us. We put themilk in the entryway and held a praise meeting around it. We thanked God forthe milk and reminded Him that we had also asked for bread.

I went back to my room for study. A few minutes later,Bessie came running up the stairs with a $5 bill in her hand. She had found itunder a lamp while dusting the end table. (It had been left there as a gift bysomeone we had been counseling.) In the next four hours, there were two moreanswered prayers for us and another answered prayer for a friend.

In the years before 1958, I had been anxious several times.That was the last time I was tempted to be anxious. God is and has beenfaithful.

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