Wanting Nothing

The little bird that wings the air
Is wholly free from every care;
And so am I.
The Lord unto my prayer gives heed,
My every want and every need
He does supply.

The Lord my shepherd is today,
He guards and guides me all the way,
I’m fully blest.
Upon His arm I trusting lean,
Naught in this world my soul can wean
From this sweet rest.

We are living in a world of sin, sorrow, and care. Such is the condition of poor, fallen, sinful man. But Jesus has come to save us from sin and consequently from sorrow. The angels said on the night when Jesus was born, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”* (Luke 2:14) Many hearts are heavy laden. Jesus says, “Come… and I will give you rest.”* (Matthew 11:28) Many a one is finding the path of life rough and weary. Christ will make it easy. He will make all the rough places smooth. Many in their sins are wishing they had never been born. The saint is praising God because he has been “born again.”* (1 Peter 1:23) He is happy in redeeming grace; he craves nothing of this world; he rejoices always; he is ever contented; he lives above want.

One of old time said, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”* (Psalm 23:1) This is the Christian’s song. He can sing it with the understanding. Those who are in want, those who are not satisfied, are not availing themselves of all their privileges in Christ Jesus. God is not unto them all He longs to be. Christ is the good shepherd; He cares for the precious lambs of His fold; He carries the weak ones in His bosom; He leads them beside the still waters and into quiet resting places. Blessed be His name! Jesus is the burden-bearer. He says, “Cast all your care on Me; I will bear them all for thee.” We should be wholly free from care. To be free from care is to have no anxieties; to take “no thought for the morrow”* (Matthew 6:34); to “be careful for nothing”* (Philippians 4:6); to have no fear that has any torment; to have no fret nor worry. It is to lean wholly upon the Lord; to trust Him for everything for all time; to have complete and satisfactory rest. “Oh, fear the LORD, ye his saints; for there is no want to them that fear him.”* (Psalm 34:9) The fear of God dispels all anxieties and brings confidence and rest.

If you value your Christian prosperity and a close walk with God, see to it that you keep free from the cares of this world. Just as the weeds hinder the growth of the plants in your garden, so the cares of this life hinder the growth of the word and grace of God in your heart. I will tell you a beautiful story and one full of meaning. A great many years ago there lived in a pleasant and quiet village two sisters and a brother. They had the pleasure at one time of entertaining in their humble home a very distinguished person. The sisters were very unlike in general disposition. One of them seemed to be much burdened with the cares of the world and was cumbered about much serving. She was very desirous that their guest should be bountifully provided for in a temporal way. She came to Him one day with a complaint against her sister. She said, “Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.”* (Luke 10:40) Jesus (for He was that guest) said to her, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”* (Luke 10:41-42) The beautiful lesson taught is to be not troubled and anxious about what to eat or wear. If we have a few things, they will suffice. There is something better. If we choose that good part, we shall find we need but few of the temporal things.

Those who cumber themselves with the cares of this life and give themselves much concern about the temporal things have certainly neglected that good part. To have much concern about the temporal things is very destructive to spirituality. Saints need to be watchful, or they will have too much concern about the temporal things. It might be for your good if you would make a test to see where your mind is most. Tomorrow begin to set down in one column all the thoughts and all the words you have about the temporal things of life. In another column set down all the words and all the thoughts you have about spiritual things. In the evening foot up both columns and see how they balance. You may be somewhat surprised. When your crop or your business is failing, do you lean restfully on the arm of Jesus, or have you anxieties?

Living above want is to have no anxieties, but to trust God and be at rest. “The Lord tends me as a shepherd; and I shall want nothing. In a place of green pasture there he has made me to dwell: he has nourished me by the water of rest.”* (Psalm 23:1-2)LXX