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“So do not worry.” That is not a suggestion. It is a command.
Let us look at what the Word of God says. The central text behind these lyrics is:
> “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
> For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.…
> Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
> (Matthew 6:31–32, 34 NIV)
And alongside this, the Holy Spirit adds:
> “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
> (Philippians 4:19 NIV)
The song is a proclamation of these truths: the Father knows, the Father cares, the Father provides. Worry is not merely a human weakness; it is a spiritual issue. It reveals where we place our trust and what kingdom we are seeking.
In these verses, Jesus draws a line between two kinds of people:
The issue is not food, drink, or clothing. The issue is lordship and trust. Whom do we believe? What kingdom are we seeking? Whose care are we under?
This teaching will show that:
These words in Matthew 6 come from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), the foundational teaching of Jesus about the lifestyle of the kingdom of God. Jesus is speaking primarily to Jewish disciples under the Old Covenant, people who know the Scriptures, understand the Law, and are familiar with the name “Father” for God—but had rarely known Him personally as Father.
The cultural situation was one of:
In that environment, material anxiety was a daily reality. The people asking, “What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear?” were not being theoretical. They were facing real lack, real hunger, real uncertainty.
Into that context, Jesus introduces two radical truths:
1. God as “your heavenly Father”
Not just the God of Israel, not just the Creator, but *your* Father—who is in heaven, above the systems of this world, not limited by their resources.
2. A new order of priorities
Just before the verses quoted in the song, He says:
> “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
> (Matthew 6:33 NIV)
The disciples had to choose where to place *first*. Jesus does not say, “Don’t think about your needs.” He says, “Don’t put them first. Put the kingdom first, and the Father will take responsibility for the rest.”
Philippians 4:19 comes from a very different immediate situation, but with the same spiritual principle. Paul writes from prison, having received sacrificial financial help from the Philippian church. In that context, he assures them that:
> “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
They had put the kingdom first—by giving to support the apostle and the gospel. Now Paul declares that the God whose work they supported will, in turn, take responsibility for their needs. The same kingdom principle is at work.
Thus:
To go deeper, we must look at some of the key words Jesus uses.
### 1) “Worry” – merimnaō (μεριμνάω)
In Matthew 6:31, 34 the verb translated “worry” is *merimnaō*.
It is not simply “having concern.” It is *being divided*, internally torn, unable to rest in trust. It is mental and spiritual fragmentation.
When Jesus says, “Do not worry,” He is saying:
This connects directly to what He has just said about serving two masters:
> “No one can serve two masters.… You cannot serve both God and money.”
> (Matthew 6:24)
*Merimnaō* is what happens when a person *tries* to serve both. Worry is the symptom of divided allegiance.
### 2) “Seek” – zēteō (ζητέω)
In Matthew 6:33, “seek first his kingdom” uses the verb *zēteō*.
In contrast, in Matthew 6:32:
> “For the pagans *run after* all these things…”
The phrase “run after” (epizēteō) intensifies *zēteō*:
So there are two competing pursuits:
The song’s line, “For the pagans run after all these things,” is precisely this: a description of *epizēteō* in action. It is not simply that pagans need food and clothing. It is that they make these needs their main pursuit.
The contrast is not between people who need things and people who do not. It is between people who seek things *first* and people who seek the kingdom *first*.
This deepens the message of the lyrics:
Let us walk through the themes of the song in light of Scripture.
### A. “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’…”
The lyric opens by repeating Jesus’ words:
> “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’”
> (Matthew 6:31)
Notice, Jesus addresses *how* we speak: “Do not worry, saying…” Worry finds expression in our words. Our mouths reveal our heart condition.
This connects to Proverbs 18:21:
> “The tongue has the power of life and death…”
And to Jesus’ own warning:
> “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
> (Matthew 12:34)
The pattern is:
1. A divided heart.
2. Anxious thoughts.
3. Worried words.
The lyrics echo Jesus’ prohibition of that cycle. They call us to refuse to give verbal expression to unbelief.
A believer must learn to discipline his or her speech. We do not deny reality, but we refuse to exalt lack above God’s Word. We bring our need to God in prayer and thanksgiving, not in murmuring and fear:
> “Do not be anxious (*merimnaō*) about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
> (Philippians 4:6)
### B. “For the pagans run after all these things…”
Here Jesus introduces a sharp contrast.
“Pagans” (ethnikoi) are the nations who do not know the covenant God. They are governed by:
The core problem of the pagan is not external poverty. It is internal independence from God.
When a Christian worries in the same way as the pagan, he or she is behaving as if there is no Father in heaven. That is the spiritual seriousness of worry. It is *functional atheism* in the realm of provision.
Jeremiah describes this condition:
> “This is what the Lord says:
> ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
> who draws strength from mere flesh
> and whose heart turns away from the Lord.’”
> (Jeremiah 17:5)
Worry exposes where our trust really lies. The one who runs after things is under a curse, because he is resting on his own resources and the systems of this world. The one who trusts in the Lord is blessed:
> “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
> whose confidence is in him.”
> (Jeremiah 17:7)
The song rightly contrasts:
### C. “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them”
This is the heart of the passage and the heart of the song.
> “…and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
> (Matthew 6:32)
Two things must be seen.
1. He is “your Father”
This is covenant language. God is not merely “Father” in a general sense to all creation. Jesus is speaking to disciples who have responded to the call of the kingdom. To them, He is “your Father,” in a special relationship of care and responsibility.
Through Christ, we are adopted:
> “The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’”
> (Romans 8:15)
This is not theory. It is family reality. A true father takes responsibility for the needs of his children.
2. He “knows that you need them”
“Knows” (oida) here is not abstract awareness. It is intimate, complete knowledge. He knows:
He does not despise your need. Jesus explicitly acknowledges: “You need them.” This refutes a false spirituality that pretends material needs are unimportant.
But—and this is vital—His knowledge precedes your asking and outruns your understanding. A believer who worries is acting as if God is ignorant or indifferent.
The lyrics: “Do not worry—your Father knows your needs” is a declaration of this central truth. The cure for worry is not in analyzing our circumstances, but in knowing the Father.
### D. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow…”
Now Jesus moves from immediate needs (food, drink, clothing) to future anxiety:
> “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
> (Matthew 6:34)
Notice:
God’s provision is daily. He taught Israel this through manna in the wilderness:
> “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.’”
> (Exodus 16:4)
When they tried to store it up (out of fear, not faith), it bred worms and stank (Exodus 16:20). God was training them to trust His *daily* faithfulness.
In the same pattern, Jesus teaches us to pray:
> “Give us today our daily bread.”
> (Matthew 6:11)
The song’s phrase, “Each day has enough trouble of its own,” is an admission of reality. Trouble is normal in a fallen world. But grace is also daily. Worry attempts to live tomorrow without tomorrow’s grace.
Many believers are exhausted not by today’s load, but by taking on future loads that God has not yet given grace to carry. Jesus says, “Do not do that.”
### E. “And my God will meet all your needs…”
Now Philippians 4:19:
> “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
Here we have the *Apostolic confirmation* of Jesus’ teaching.
God does not give “out of” His riches, but “according to” His riches. That is a crucial difference. A millionaire can give a poor man one dollar “out of” his riches. But to give “according to” his riches would be to give in a way that reflects the scale of his wealth.
The standard of God’s provision is not your poverty, but His glory in Christ.
This links directly to Romans 8:32:
> “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, *along with him*, graciously give us all things?”
If God has already given the greatest—His Son—He will not withhold the lesser—our daily needs.
The song’s line, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus,” is not religious poetry. It is a legal statement of the New Covenant, grounded in the finished work of Christ.
### F. “Your heavenly Father knows what you need—seek His kingdom, and He will provide”
This line encapsulates Matthew 6:32–33. There is a divine order:
1. The Father knows.
2. You seek His kingdom.
3. He provides what you need.
Where many believers stumble is that they invert the order:
That is the pagan approach in religious clothing. It is still “running after” things, but with a Christian vocabulary.
Jesus requires faith:
We see this pattern in 1 Kings 17. Elijah is sent to a widow in Zarephath during famine. Her situation is desperate. She has only enough flour and oil for one last meal. Elijah says:
> “First make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.”
> (1 Kings 17:13)
The prophet asks her to *put the kingdom (represented by God’s servant) first*. On what basis? On a promise:
> “For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry…’”
> (1 Kings 17:14)
When she obeyed, she moved from famine to sustained provision. She stopped living under the economy of drought and entered the economy of the word of the Lord.
The same principle stands in Matthew 6 and Philippians 4. Seeking the kingdom first is not theoretical. It touches:
The song is, in effect, a covenant reminder: *Your Father knows—now align your life with His kingdom, and leave the provision to Him.*
We must move from theory to practice. How do we stop worrying and start living as sons and daughters under Father’s care?
### 1) First, we must repent of worry as unbelief
Worry is often treated as a harmless habit. Scripture does not treat it that way. It is a form of distrust in God’s character.
We must call it what it is:
Repentance means:
A simple but serious step is to say to God:
### 2) Second, we must reorder our priorities around the kingdom
Jesus does not promise “all these things” to those who merely claim the verse, but to those who *seek first His kingdom and His righteousness*.
This means asking hard questions:
Seeking the kingdom first may lead to specific, practical adjustments:
The more our life aligns with the kingdom, the more we are positioned to experience kingdom provision.
### 3) Third, we must discipline our thoughts and words
Worry operates in the realm of thought and speech. We must apply Philippians 4:6–8:
Practically:
We are to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). You cannot prevent a thought from knocking at the door, but you can refuse to let it come in and sit at your table.
### 4) Fourth, we must practice thanksgiving in advance
Worry anticipates disaster. Faith anticipates provision.
Philippians 4:6 commands us to present our requests “with thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving in advance is the voice of faith. It says:
This aligns us with the reality of Ephesians 1:3:
> “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with *every spiritual blessing in Christ*.”
From that spiritual fullness, material needs are met in accordance with His wisdom. Thanksgiving keeps our eyes on the Giver, not just on the gift.
### Proclamation
Say this aloud, thoughtfully and deliberately, as an act of faith:
> I proclaim that I have a Father in heaven.
> My Father knows everything I need—food, drink, clothing, and every other necessity of life.
> I refuse to worry, to be anxious, or to speak words of fear.
> I choose to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
> I trust that all these things will be added to me.
> I affirm that my God will meet all my needs
> according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.
> Each day, God gives me grace for that day.
> I will not borrow trouble from tomorrow.
> I live under the care, the knowledge, and the provision of my heavenly Father.
> In Jesus’ name, Amen.
### Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, I come to You as Your child. I acknowledge that many times I have worried about what I will eat, what I will drink, what I will wear, and about my future.
I confess worry as unbelief and sin. I renounce every lie that says I am alone, forgotten, or uncared for. I receive Your Word that You are my heavenly Father and that You know what I need.
Holy Spirit, write this truth deep in my heart: “Your Father knows your needs.” Strengthen me to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness in every area of my life. Show me where my priorities must change. Give me grace to obey.
Lord, I bring every current need before You now—financial, physical, practical. I thank You that my God will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. I choose to trust You today and to leave tomorrow in Your hands.
Let the peace of God guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Establish my heart in faith, not in fear. I receive Your fatherly care. I rest in Your love. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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