Matthew 6:34
“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry
about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Many people feel the need to look far ahead when it comes to meeting physical needs and worldly success. Yet, ironically, not many look far ahead regarding eternal salvation. More people pay attention to temporary worldly matters than to eternal life.
Indeed, by teaching us to say, “Give us today,” the Lord Jesus is also teaching that we need not look far ahead for the fulfillment of bodily needs. It is more important for us to attend to eternal salvation. The phrase “today” is truly meaningful when we grasp the value of eternity, because the word “today” underscores how brief our life on Earth is. Jesus also says in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Just as each day has its own difficulties, each day also has blessings that can sustain us to face those difficulties. Do not worry about life tomorrow, because tomorrow has its own troubles. Yet God will also provide what we need for tomorrow. This truth does not automatically make us careless. As responsible people, we still must prepare for tomorrow. Besides working hard, we also need to be frugal, save, invest, and insure. However, we face tomorrow without anxiety because we are confident of God’s providence for the future.
This is what distinguishes us from those who do not know God. Indeed, humans tend to worry about tomorrow. Many people like fortune-telling and horoscopes because they want certainty about what they will face tomorrow and the days to come. But for us as children of God, the meeting of bodily needs, no matter how severe, is not the real issue. Conversely, however much wealth we possess will not have a significant impact on this life, because we know that human life does not depend on its riches.
By saying “today,” God desires that we not look far ahead on this Earth for the fulfillment of bodily needs, so that we may focus on the new heaven and the new Earth. Shifting the heart to the new heaven and the new Earth is not easy. In fact, it becomes impossible if our focus remains on a safe, comfortable life on Earth.
Focusing on the new heaven and the new Earth does not make us eccentric. If our lives are motivated by the hope of the new heaven and the new Earth, our character will be transformed by the Holy Spirit for the better. Thus, we will also maximize our potential, work diligently on Earth, and become successful.