Security and Hope

Since we have been clearing out and giving away many things we don't use, each of our children have a been processing this a little differently. Elijah (age 8) can understand the logic for downsizing. He will say things like, "I only wear these 5 shirts anyway." Esther(age 6) loves to give things to other people. If she can think of someone who would like it, she wants to give it. Zeke(age 2) is probably too young to notice. But Ezra (age 4) has been a bit concerned. When we were giving away a bag of clothes he said, "But what if I run out of clothes." My first response is to think about how absurd that is since we have so many. But I also realized that we all often find security in "things." We started talking with Ezra about trusting in God's provision for us rather than trusting in our extra stuff. We talked about how God has provided for us in the past. It was good for me also to remember to trust in God's provision. A passage that I often read is Matthew 6. Here are some verses that have been good for me to remember and to help Ezra remember too:
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
"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. (Matthew 6:19-21, 24-33 ESV)
I have also had this hymn in my mind since my conversation with Ezra, so I will share a few of the words here. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand."