God Provides

Psalms 23:1 ESV
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”

The word want in this passage means “to have a need” or “to lack”. David’s confidence is that, with the Lord as his Shepherd, he would never be in lack. All his needs would be supplied.

David knew something about being a shepherd over sheep. He did that task for many years for his family as a boy. Amazingly enough David took the lowest job of those days extremely seriously. He told Saul in 1 Samuel, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.” (1 Samuel 17:34-35 ESV)

David was not just a marvelous protector, he also provided for his sheep. The twenty third Psalms lays out a pattern of the care of a shepherd for his sheep. In this first verse David makes the boldest of statements, “The Lord or (Jehovah God) is my Shepherd, my caretaker, provider, protector, there is nothing that I want for, He always sustains me.

This first verse also contains a secret to being content with God as our all in all, knowing He is watching, providing, making sure we have what we need. Paul, who said, “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Today, be assured in your relationship with God the Father, is He your all in all? Is He the one you trust, look to, hope in, and rely on for your every need?

Prayer:
Lord, You are my Shepherd, I am not, nor will I ever be, in lack as long as I stay in close relationship with You. Thank You for caring for me, providing for my needs, healing my mind, soul, spirit, body and my emotions. In Your name Lord Jesus, Amen!