I shall not want.

Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23:1

They say that familiarity breeds contempt, and I hate to admit that it has happened to me, at least to a certain point. It seems that the 23rd Psalm is one of the most beloved Bible verses of all time. It is found on bookmarks, cards, church bulletins, wall hangings, and so on. I must admit that it got to a point where I would read this verse, and not really get much from it. It was too "familiar" to me and I took it for granted.

It is also true that difficult circumstances can get our minds and attentions back to where they belong, on God and His faithfulness. That is what has happened to me. Over the last two years with all that has been happening in the world, I found myself growing stressed with many things. It was covid and the lockdowns. Lack of certain food items in stores, then prices rising, and the final straw seemed to be the recent surge in fuel prices. I was panicky and worried, wondering how we as a family could make it, as things seemed to be spiraling out of control.

My mind was brought back to this Psalm and its opening phrase, Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want. I began to think on this. Just as a rancher who raises sheep takes good care for them, providing food, water, and shelter, how much more does the living God care for us? The God who created this world and the things in it, who created us and cares for us, is perfectly able to provide our needs as well.  As I pondered this Psalm, I realized that the sheep who are well cared for by their shepherds lack nothing, so too, we who are cared for by our heavenly Father do not lack anything either. So why worry and stress about the economy? God is fully willing and able to meet our needs, and we too will not want. 

Peace.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in Jehovah forever; for in Jehovah, even Jehovah, is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:3-4

     We have a precious promise from God, that if we set our minds upon Him in faith, we will be kept in perfect peace. His word assures us that God is an everlasting rock, a place of safety for all those who seek shelter in Him from the storms of life. This peace however, will only fill our hearts and minds as we trust Him. 

     We often come to God with our cares and burdens, but like Peter walking on the water, we take our eyes off of Christ, and instead, we focus on our circumstance and begin to sink. This verse makes the point that we must keep our focus on Christ and not our problems if we would have peace. The Apostle Paul writes, 

In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

     As the hymn states, "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer." 

     This peace is a peace that goes beyond our understanding. How can we be filled with a calm, with peace, when things seem to be falling apart all around us? The answer is found in God our rock, and by putting our confidence in Him.

Expendable.

     Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit.
                                            John 12:24

     It may seem shocking to many, but the reality is that we are expendable to God! Yes God loves and cares for us. He who sees the sparrow fall, and knows the very number of the hairs on our heads, is concerned for us through the trials we go through. Yet, we are expendable. 
     God calls us to lose all for His sake, in His service; even our very lives if necessary. When He calls us to lose our lives for His sake, we might very well face persecution and martyrdom. We are in a spiritual battle for the kingdom of God and the souls of men. Just like an army will count men as expendable, sending them out to die for the greater purpose of winning the war, we too are sent out to die for the sake of the gospel, giving our very lives if it so be, so that another can find life in Christ.
     Remember, we are living in these bodies upon this earth for a short time. We are spiritual beings with souls that will live on throughout eternity. To face death for Christ is truly no loss to us, as to be absent from this body, is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:6-8). So even though we are expendable for the cause of Christ, it is no real loss to us, in fact, it is great gain.

Kept From Stumbling.

     Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and forevermore. Amen.
                                             Jude 1:24-25

     What a wonderful promise to us, that God Himself will bring us safely home, to stand in His glorious presence, complete in Him, beyond reproach. In this life, we travel a dangerous road, with temptations and trials on every side. The world seeks to draw our hearts away from our Lord, with all of its vanity and pride. Yet we see in this and other numerous scriptures, that in Christ we have all we need to remain free from spot or stain. In Christ we have the power to overcome temptations. His grace is more than enough for every need, to those who through faith, are made partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4).
     Able to keep us from stumbling! He will set us before His presence, without blemish. This is the overcoming life. We were once mired in sin, unable to change. But through Christ, we are now free. We can live upright lives, beyond reproach. We can know what it means to have a clean conscience; to be able to lay down in sleep without our hearts condemning us. What a blessed thing, to be so guarded by Jesus Christ.
     He has called us to live holy, upright lives. Faithful is He that has called us, and faithful is to do it (1 Thess 5:23-24)!

Our Souls Delight.

     Delight thyself also in Jehovah; and he will give thee the desires of thy heart.
                            Psalm 37:4

     When God is our delight, we will be completely caught up with Him. We will desire His way, His will, His glory. Our plans and desires will fade as we view the greater excellency of the divine purpose. The desires of our hearts will no longer reflect self, but Him.

The Benediction of Grace.

      The scriptures close with this benediction,

     The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints. Amen
                                  Revelation 22:21

     What a fitting close to the revelation of God to mankind. As His true saints, the called out ones, devoted to Him, we need the blessing of His grace. We can be assured that He will provide everything we need to be fruitful in His kingdom. 
     In Him we have all we need. He is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). His grace is sufficient for us (2 Cor 12:9).

     

His Will Only.

     Jesus calls us to have no will but His alone. What a blessed thing to be free of all the strife and turmoil of our cluttered lives as we live out the words of the Lord's prayer-

     "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth."
                                        Matthew 6:10

     It is the clamoring after the things of this life, even the essentials, such as food and clothing, that keep us from the peace that one finds as they live for Christ alone.
     Jesus tells us to step out in faith-

     "But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
                                       Matthew 6:33

     We can find peace in our daily turmoil, fulfillment in our seemingly empty lives, if we would lay our plans, agendas, and wills down, and pick up one only, His.

Everything I Need.

                  Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want.
                                           Psalm 23:1

     As the great shepherd our our souls, we find all we need in Christ Jesus. What can we possibly lack of that which is essential to our spiritual life and the well being of our souls (2 Peter 1:3).
     God did not spare His only Son, but freely gave Him up for us. We can confidently trust Him to supply our every need (Romans 8:31-32).
     

Rest For the Weary.

     Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.
                              Matthew 11: 28-30

     We can become caught up in the cares and anxieties of this life, or become entangled with the things of this world; the vanities of life (Matt 6:31-32; 1 John 2:15-16).
     We have a promise from the Lord Jesus. We can find rest for our weary souls if we lay it all down and take up His yoke.
     Are your burdens too heavy to bear? Give them to Jesus.

    

A Promise to the Thisty.

     The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I Jehovah will answer them, I, the God of Israel will not forsake them.
                                   Isaiah 41:17

     What a wonderful promise we have from the Lord. He will not forsake those who are desperate for him.
     The things of this world cannot satisfy the longing in our souls that only He can fill!
     See the wonderful promise of refreshing; rivers on the bare heights, fountains in the valleys, the wilderness a pool, and the dry land springs of water (Isaiah 41:18).
     He is more than enough for each and every situation we may find ourselves in. He truly satisfies the longing soul.