Luke 12:29-34: a reflection

29“Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. 30For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things. 31But seek God’s Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you. 32“Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. 33Sell what you have and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Jesus tells his followers not to be anxious about their needs, but to seek God's kingdom first, and assures them that it is their Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom. Don't seek what you will eat or drink; neither be anxious, Jesus says; your Father knows that you need these things. But seek God's Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you. Don't be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Jesus addresses the anxiety we feel over our needs, food, drink, the necessities of life, and gives a double reassurance: our Father knows what we need, and we are to seek his kingdom first, trusting that our needs will be provided. And he adds a tender word: do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father delights to give you the kingdom. This shows seeking God's kingdom first, trusting the Father who delights to give us the kingdom. Seek God's kingdom first, not anxiously pursuing your needs. Your Father knows what you need and delights to give you the kingdom. Do not be afraid; the kingdom is your Father's good pleasure to give. Set your heart's treasure where it will not be lost.

Notice the reassurance Jesus gives against anxiety. He knows that we are prone to anxiety over our needs, over food, drink, the necessities of life, the things the nations of the world anxiously pursue. And he speaks to this anxiety with several reassurances. First, our Father knows that we need these things; we are not unprovided-for orphans, but children of a Father who knows our needs. Second, we are to seek God's kingdom first, rather than anxiously pursuing these things; and as we do, these things will be added to us. Third, and most tenderly, he says: do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. God is not a reluctant giver, doling out grudgingly; it is his good pleasure, his delight, to give his little flock the kingdom itself. This reshapes how we hold our needs and where we set our hearts. Rather than being consumed by anxiety over our needs, pursuing them as though everything depended on us, we can seek God's kingdom first, trusting our Father who knows our needs and delights to give us the kingdom. And knowing this, we can set our treasure not on the things that anxiety pursues, which can be lost, but on the kingdom and its unfailing treasure; for where our treasure is, there our heart will be. We do well to seek God's kingdom first, not anxiously pursuing our needs, trusting the Father who delights to give us the kingdom, and setting our heart's treasure there. Seek God's kingdom first, not anxiously pursuing your needs. Trust the Father who knows your needs and delights to give you the kingdom. Do not be afraid, little flock; the kingdom is your Father's good pleasure to give. Set your heart's treasure on the kingdom, where it will not be lost.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are to seek God's kingdom first, trusting the Father who delights to give us the kingdom, as Jesus reassured his little flock. We can be consumed by anxiety over our needs; but Jesus says the Father knows our needs and it is his good pleasure to give us the kingdom. Seek it first. Do not be anxiously consumed by pursuing your needs; seek God's kingdom first, trusting the Father who delights to give you the kingdom, and set your heart's treasure there. Seek God's kingdom first rather than being anxiously consumed by pursuing your needs, trusting the Father who knows your needs and delights to give you the kingdom, and setting your heart's treasure there where it will not be lost, as Jesus told his followers not to be anxious about their needs but to seek God's kingdom first, assuring them that their Father knew they needed these things and that it was their Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom, telling them not to be afraid, little flock; for Jesus addresses the anxiety we feel over our needs and gives a double reassurance, that our Father knows what we need and that we are to seek his kingdom first, trusting that our needs will be provided, and adds a tender word, do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father delights to give you the kingdom, which reshapes how we hold our needs and where we set our hearts, since rather than being consumed by anxiety over our needs and pursuing them as though everything depended on us, we can seek God's kingdom first, trusting our Father who knows our needs and delights to give us the kingdom, and knowing this can set our treasure not on the things anxiety pursues which can be lost but on the kingdom and its unfailing treasure, for where our treasure is there our heart will be, so that we do well to seek God's kingdom first.

Lord Jesus, you tell your followers not to be anxious about their needs, but to seek God's kingdom first, and assure them that it is their Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom. Don't seek what you will eat or drink; neither be anxious, you say; your Father knows that you need these things. But seek God's Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you. Don't be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. You address the anxiety I feel over my needs, food, drink, the necessities of life, and give a double reassurance: my Father knows what I need, and I am to seek his kingdom first, trusting that my needs will be provided. And you add a tender word: do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father delights to give you the kingdom. Show me the reassurance you give against anxiety. You know that I am prone to anxiety over my needs, the things the nations of the world anxiously pursue. And you speak to this anxiety with several reassurances. First, my Father knows that I need these things; I am not an unprovided-for orphan, but a child of a Father who knows my needs. Second, I am to seek God's kingdom first, rather than anxiously pursuing these things; and as I do, these things will be added. Third, and most tenderly, you say: do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. God is not a reluctant giver, doling out grudgingly; it is his good pleasure, his delight, to give his little flock the kingdom itself. This reshapes how I hold my needs and where I set my heart. Rather than being consumed by anxiety over my needs, pursuing them as though everything depended on me, I can seek God's kingdom first, trusting my Father who knows my needs and delights to give me the kingdom. And knowing this, I can set my treasure not on the things anxiety pursues, which can be lost, but on the kingdom. Take that to my heart. Keep me from being anxiously consumed by pursuing my needs; help me seek God's kingdom first, Lord, trusting the Father who knows my needs and delights to give me the kingdom, not being afraid, and setting my heart's treasure on the kingdom, where it will not be lost.