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“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” (Psalm 23:1, NIV)
“THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.” (Psalm 23:1, The Amplified Bible)
Sometimes I daydream about what I would do if I won a million dollars (I’m shallow that way). A few things come to mind.
As you can see, I’ve given this topic some serious thought.
But Jason Castro (channeling Neil Diamond) gives us a little reminder about money.
(Isn’t he a cutie? I want to squeeze his cheeks every time I see this.)
(And take scissors to his hair. Please, Lord, get the boy a fauxhawk.)
(And the thing about blue jeans? They can be quite expensive these days.)
Anyhoo, when David said, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want,” he wasn’t declaring God to be a disburser of winning lottery tickets. As a matter of fact, when a rich young man came to Jesus asking how to gain eternal life, Jesus told Him to give up physical riches to gain spiritual ones.
So as our Shepherd, what does He provide for us? We’ll be learning more about this in the weeks to come, but here’s a few examples just to get us thinking:
I’m a computer engineer (i.e. NERD), so of course this idea of “lacking nothing” reminds me of computer games. (What, you too?) I like the type of game where you travel through a mythical land, pick things up along the way, and solve puzzles. When I reached a puzzle that I needed to solve to continue in the game, I would look at everything I’d picked up and see how I could use them to solve the puzzle and move forward. (“Surely I must be able to use this used bubble gum and bungee cord to find the invisible map!”)
In the same way, if I stay connected to Him, God gives me everything I need along the way to fulfill His purpose for me. Be it wisdom, a particular skill, the right friend at the right time, or even some much needed cash, it all comes from Him. And if I don’t think that I have what I need? Well, I know where to go to find it. It’s amazing how Scripture can speak to my specific situation during my quiet times and give me an idea or change in perspective.
Don’t get me wrong, I won’t turn down a million dollars. (Cash please.) But it will not meet all of my needs. Instead of looking at the cash, I look to the Shepherd. And He’s worth much more to me than a lottery ticket.
Questions:
- What do you want or need?
- How has Jesus met your needs?
- What skills, abilities, experiences, and relationships has God given you to equip you for your future?
- Do you feel comfortable approaching Him to meet your needs?
