concerning "careful unreasonableness"

I enjoy the titles for each of the daily devotions in My Utmost for His Highest (see posts below for the current purpose of this blog). Having read the short Oswald Chambers bio available here, I wonder if these titles were his own work or that of his wife? Whatever the case, the titles are usually very creative and even provocative at times. The title for today's bio is no exception: "Careful Unreasonableness."

The Scripture text for today is Matthew 6:26, 28 (though it is, as usual, very helpful to read more of the surrounding context). This is from the "Sermon on the Mount." Jesus is teaching His disciples not to worry about what they will eat or drink or about what they will wear, or even to worry about tomorrow. He gives the birds and flowers as examples. Chambers takes up this theme:

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they simply are!," he writes. He goes on, "So often we mar God's designed influence through us by our self-conscious efforts to be consistent and useful."

He's using the Matthew 6 passage to talk about spiritual growth. I confess that I've tended to apply this too shallowly to my own life. "These are great things to remember to keep from worrying or getting anxious," I would think to myself. "Must be good teaching, though it doesn't seem very practical not to worry... "

But praise God that His word penetrates deeper than that (see Hebrews 4:12-13)! Chambers reminds me that worry and anxiety are really spiritual conditions (What isn't spiritual? That is, what happens in my life that doesn't affect me spiritually? What decisions or choices can I make that don't ultimately have an affect on my spiritual condition one way or the other?). And Jesus teaches me to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well."

By "all these things" it seems like He's speaking of the things that I don't usually think of as spiritual, food and clothes for example. But Gluttony has ruined more than one soul and Vanity is a poor god.

Kingdom seeking and righteous living should be first, Jesus says. Father will provide the rest.

"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Phil. 2:12-14).