Anxiety In Matthew Chapter Six

I love going through the Gospel's using this beautiful book my wife gave me (Ariel's Harmony of the Gospels). I am at Matthew 6 and it is mostly about prayer, fasting, money and anxiety.

Later in His ministry, He will say this...

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." - John 14:26-27 ESV

But here in Matthew 6 close to the start, He says...

"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? 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? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." - Matthew 6:25-34 ESV

Jesus leaves His peace with us like someone who leaves their coat in our car. He is not bodily on Earth at the moment but we have something that belonged to Him.

He also gives us reasoning to use.

I was looking at different artwork last night and I saw this painting of a woman gazing at nature and the artist used the colors and textures in the nature scene around her in her color palette also. It was as if she had unity with the scene as she was gazing at it. I was thinking of that as I read this passage. I am not a sparrow or a lily but I can look at them and access the peace God has given me.

The 'kingdom of God and His righteousness' are a refuge to us from anxiety.

We can look at Jesus and take on His color palette. We can wear the coat He left in our car. He won't mind. He left it there on purpose. Funny that it fits us perfectly.

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