The South Barrow Bulletin 2014 23/03/2014 | Page 4
BIBLE READING
Matthew 6
Verses 19 to 34
Do not store up riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths
and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. Instead, store up
riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot
destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal. For your heart
will always be where your riches are.
“The eyes are like a lamp for the body. If your eyes are sound,
your whole body will be full of light; but if your eyes are no good,
your body will be in darkness. So if the light in you is darkness,
how terribly dark it will be!
“You cannot be a slave of two masters; you will hate one and love
the other; you will be loyal to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and money.
“This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink
you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body.
After all, isn't life worth more than food? And isn't the body worth
more than clothes? Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds,
gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven
takes care of them! Aren't you worth much more than birds?
Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?
“And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow:
they do not work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you
that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as
beautiful as one of these flowers. It is God who clothes the wild
grass—grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up
in the oven. Won't he be all the more sure to clothe you?
What little faith you have!
“So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? or my
drink? or my clothes?’ (These are the things the pagans are always
concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all
these things. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the
Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will
provide you with all these other things. So do not worry about
tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need
to add to the troubles each day brings.