Luke 12:30
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
The things spoken of are the material necessities of life, what to eat and drink and wear and the other provision needed to live. The nations seeking after them are those who do not trust God, making these needs their chief concern in anxious, doubtful-minded striving that rules mind and life as though there were no God. Set against that striving is the Father's knowledge that His children need these earthly things, with tender care for them in their dependence upon Him for every breath and every power of life. That care is seen in nature, where He feeds the ravens and watches the little birds, clothes the lilies and the grass of the field, keeps every tree and flower in its time and season, and sends rain and sunshine upon the just and the unjust, the thankful and the unthankful. His children therefore are not to be consumed with worry about necessities, but to trust Him and seek first His kingdom and give themselves to His service, with the assurance that it is the Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom and that all these needed things shall be added.
Meaning of the Contrast
"All these things" are the material necessities of life — what to eat and drink and wear, food, drink, clothing and other such provision. The seeking after them by the nations of the world is anxious, doubtful-minded seeking that makes those needs the chief concern and allows them to rule life and mind. It is the seeking of people who do not trust God, who live as though there were no God.
Against that seeking stands the Father's knowledge that His children need these earthly things, with tender care for them. He understands every sacrifice made to supply the necessities of His cause. Man is dependent upon God for every breath, with beating heart, throbbing pulse, and every nerve and muscle kept in order by an infinite God who upholds the worlds by His power.
That care is confirmed through nature, to which Christ first directs attention and then up through nature to nature's God. He feeds ravens and watches little birds, clothes lilies and grass that is today in the field and tomorrow cast into the oven, and keeps every lofty tree, shrub, blooming flower and living green in order in time and season. He sends rain and sunshine with its rays of light upon the unjust as well as the just, the evil as well as the good, the unthankful as well as the thankful, testifying to unsurpassed goodness and love for man.
God gives attention to objects in proportion to the rank they occupy in the scale of creation, so if insignificant creation receives such care He will bestow much more upon man formed in His image. The value of the human soul and heaven's attention to man cannot be exaggerated. From God's provision for created things is to be reasoned toward the greater importance of heavenly things.
Life of Trusting Service
Disciples must not anxiously seek food and drink and clothing nor be of doubtful mind, consumed by worry and anxious thought about necessities that would rule life and mind. The Father knows they need these things, so need for them does not require anxious striving but supports trusting Him as His people move forward in faith. Instead of making worldly provision the chief concern and highest anxiety, they are to trust God and seek first His kingdom and give themselves to His service, with the comforting assurance that it is the Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom and that all these needed things shall be added.
The verse belongs to a message to those blessed with great light, calling them to put their whole heart into Christ's service rather than strive in a tame, listless way without religious interest. It urges daily prayer and watchfulness, and not only claiming to believe the truth but living and practicing it. Taking a stand for the truth even when it brings inconvenience or hardship is not a reason to fear that God will abandon them, for such fear shows lack of faith. As His people move forward in faith, including with many more workers in the Lord's vineyard, the Lord will care for them.
The lesson of Luke 12 is of great importance for God's people in building by faith only a plain, neat and tasteful tabernacle or house of worship, accepting freely offered help and refusing to spend the Lord's money in needless adornment and expense. They are to remain free from debt instead of seeking as the nations seek, since the Father understands every sacrifice made to supply the necessities of His cause without ostentation or display. They are to live simply and devote themselves to service rather than being consumed by worry or the desire to increase earthly wealth. They are to live as pilgrims and strangers whose citizenship is above, not living to please themselves and not courting praise and human appreciation and honor, but guarding the heart with perpetual vigilance, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, hiding self in Jesus, and walking in sanctification with self-abasement and lowliness rather than exalting self.