Matthew 6:25-27 – Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

A pair of goldfinches (not a reflection) on the thistle feeder in our back yard.

I must admit, as many times as I have read these verses, I struggle to heed the advice Jesus is giving here. I think these words are especially important to reflect on during such a busy time of the year. Between hectic social calendars, year-end pressures at work, and the everyday tasks of life, it is easy to get anxious about it all.

As demanding as things may be, sometimes we need to find time to get away. For me that means getting out into God’s magnificent creation and putting a few miles on my hiking boots. Even pausing a few minutes at the back window to watch the birds on the feeder provides a bit of respite. The peace and quiet of the outdoors help me to set aside my concerns and focus on the two things that matter most in life, God and family.

That said, it is even more important, especially when worries get the better of us, to take the time to bring our concerns to God in prayer and seek him through his word. After all, it is through prayer and his word that we find great reminders, like this passage from Matthew, of our Father’s constant love and daily provision for us, his children, who are more valuable to him than the birds of the air.

Read more about my “God is Revealed…“ category of posts

© Todd D. Nystrom and Todd the Hiker, 2013.