Each morning, I quiet myself by “letting it go”. (see my blog “Meditations: Let It Go”).

Next, I still myself by repeating this mantra from Psalms: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10). (see my blog “Meditations: Be Still”)

Then I calm myself by remembering the opening words of the Twenty-Third Psalm: “The LORD Is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalms 23:1 KJV)

The Twenty-Third Psalm calms my fears about lacking a number things—calms my many worries.

For example, the Twenty-Third Psalm tells me

—about the LORD making me lie down in “green pastures” (Psalm 23:2 KJV);

—about the LORD restoring my soul (Psalm 23:3 KJV);

—about the LORD comforting me even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4);

—about the LORD blessing me even in the presence of my enemies (Psalm 23:5);

—about the LORD anointing my head (Psalm 23:5).

—about the LORD making my cup overflow (Psalm 23:5);

—about the LORD’s goodness and mercy following me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6); and

—about my dwelling in the house of the LORD forever (Psalm 23:6).

I must confess, however, that when I meditate upon the opening words of the Twenty-Third Psalm, I am usually worrying about lacking money!!!

For example, I comfort myself with the opening words of the Twenty-Third Psalm if the stock market has been dropping like a rock. Or if inflation has been soaring like a rocket.

Obviously, I have a long ways to go to gain the wisdom of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus reminded us:

[D]o not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

(Matthew 6:25-26)

As I think about the LORD taking care of birds, I sometimes see birds flying joyously through the sky at dawn, swooping and singing!

My thoughts return to Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, saying:

Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes?

See the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

(Matthew 6:27-29)

In the rosy hues of the dawn, I see gorgeous trees and plants surrounding my patio and the pond. Indeed, rich, powerful Solomon was not dressed as splendidly!

My thoughts return to the wisdom of Jesus:

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith.

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’.

(Matthew 6:30-31)

Why shouldn’t we worry?

Jesus gave us several reasons:

—The LORD knows we need food, drink and clothing. We can trust the LORD to be our Good Shepherd, meeting our needs just as he meets the needs of birds and flowers (Matthew 6:25-32)

—Pagans run after food, drink and clothing. They seek gods—idols—that they can control and manipulate so that they earn food, drink and clothing (1 Kings 18:25-39; Isaiah 44:9-20). But we who are loving the One LORD our God with all our heart, and soul, and strength, and mind will seek first his kingdom of righteousness, trusting that food, drink and clothing will be given to us by the One LORD our God.  (Matthew 6:33).

And so, my spirits rise joyously as the sun rises majestically with the dawn.

I calm my fears and worries, confident once again that the LORD is my shepherd. I shall lack nothing.

Not only shall I not lack money for food, drink or clothing.

I shall not lack a soul that is refreshed.

And I shall not lack the blessed assurance that I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT

What kinds of things do you worry about?

What kinds of things do you fear?

What are the ways that the LORD is the Shepherd of your life?

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For other blogs about meditating in the morning, please read my blogs “Meditations: This Is the Day that the LORD Hath Made”, “Meditations: Let It Go”, “Meditations: Be Still”, “Going Further onto the Patio”, “Amazing Grace: Birdsongs!”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Leaves and Birds”, “Pandemic Wisdom: Meditating”, “A Foggy Sunrise”, “Mountains and Hills Breaking Into Song”, and “God Cares for Each Bird That I See Each Morning”.

In the last sentence of this blog, I chose the words “blessed assurance” in honor of the classic hymn “Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine” by Fanny Crosby and Phoebe Knapp.