Letting Go of Worry

In my nightly Bible reading, I am currently making my way through the book of Matthew...and came across a passage tonight that was good to reread, particularly in our current economy. And realizing this probably wouldn't be such a bad one to read every day -- or maybe every other day if that seems extreme. :)

Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important 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? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all of his splendor was dressed like one of these. 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, O you of little faith?

So do not worry, saying "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

It is always good to have a reminder that God is the provider of our needs (and sometimes our "wants" as well), and not us -- we often circumvent him by always "providing" for ourselves, when sometimes I wonder if He had a better plan if we had just waited a little longer...just may not always be in our timing or quite how we expected. And you have to love that last verse, good to keep a sense of humor.