Psalm 23
Psalm 23, Matthew 6:25-33, Philippians 4:11-13
When I was younger, the most common response to “how are you doing?” was probably “good” or the more emphatic “pretty good”; however, as I have gotten older, and culture has changed, the most common response has changed too–it now is probably something more like “okay, just a little stressed” or the more straightforward “anxious”. And, not the kind of anxious that means experiencing clinical anxiety (although that is a real and growing problem, that isn’t what I am talking about here), but more the anxious that means generally worried about things. Often when I ask people how they are and they respond with “anxious”, they mean they are worried about an assignment, a stressful work situation, or their budget. And, while these feelings are understandable responses to our crazy world some days, they couldn’t be contrasted more starkly with the attitude of David in Psalm 23.
Psalm 23 is filled with an expression of complete confidence that God, for the sake of His name, will care for his people. Vying in the face of any feelings of pending doom, David says “surely goodness and mercy shall follow all the days of my life”. Jesus challenges his disciples to have a similar attitude in Matthew 6 saying “do not be anxious saying ‘what shall we eat?’ or ‘what shall we drink?’ or ‘what shall we wear?’... But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” Quite to the contrary of our mindset that any obstacle or unknown is enough to unsettle our whole attitude and leave us anxious, David and Jesus have a confidence rooted in the character of God that leaves them unassailable by the worries of the day. Worried about where to get the money for rent? Jesus would say “my Father provides”. Sitting down for a meeting with someone who hates you? David would respond “God has already prepared a table for me”. Walking in the literal shadow of a valley of death? David says he has nothing to fear knowing that his God will comfort and lead him. I think in the face of many of the things that leave us feeling stressed or worried, the Biblical authors would respond by saying that if we only took God at his Word, we would have no need to worry. Instead, we could say with Paul that we have learned to be content in whatever situation we find ourselves in because we know the God who is with us through it all. The one who orders the whole cosmos, and upholds everything by the “word of his power” knows our needs, so what do we have to be anxious about?
In the midst of anxious thoughts do you find yourself confident that God will provide, questioning his character, or forgetting to think about him at all?
What promise of God do you need to remember in moments when you are overwhelmed by anxious thoughts?
