Can You Add A Single Hour

Posted on May 31 2010

In Matthew 6, Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

That last sentence hit me like a ton of bricks when I read it. “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” If you are anything like me, you probably struggle sometimes with completely surrendering everything to Jesus. I know He will take care of me and give me everything I NEED, if I just obey His commands and submit my life to Him. If God provides for all the needs of the birds, why don’t I have the faith to believe that He will always provide everything I need?

Does this mean I can go and spend money on whatever I want, do what I want, and never worry about where the money comes from? I think it’s pretty obvious that that’s not the case at all. What Jesus is saying is that we should take all the time we spend worrying about how the mortgage will get paid this month, and spend it surrendering, praying, and relying on God to provide and protect us. Don’t just believe that it might be possible that God finds ways to provide for us, but learn to really trust that by surrendering your finances to the Lord and obeying what He commands for our money and possessions, and know that God has our back.

One of my favorite verses comes later on in Matthew 6 when Jesus continues, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Make your first priority in life (if it isn’t already) to seek after what God has for your life and be obedient to His voice, and He will take care of the rest! Completely surrender your worries and cares, and watch and see what God can do.