I Shall Not Want

Happy Sunday! Last week we started a series of the 23rd Psalm. We began with "The Lord is my shepherd." What a great truth! If you are willing, God would like to lead your life. Our next thought from Psalm 23 is totally dependent on allowing God to lead us.

The next thought: "I shall not want." Isn't that beautiful? "I shall not want." When someone says "I shall not want," we better sit up and pay attention. Why? Because we live in a world filled with people who want.

We live in a world filled with discontent. When we follow God as our Shepherd, we can get to a point where we shall not want. Now, what exactly does that mean? First, let me tell you what it does not mean.

If y'all, you follow some Prosperity Gospel teachers, they will tell you that this means that you'll be rich. They preach wrongly that if you're a Believer, you'll magically inherit monetary wealth. That's not promised here. "I shall not want" means that the shepherd will always take care of you, no matter what.

As I look back at David's life, and remember from last week, David wrote this psalm, I think about the great wants that David had. David needed protection many times in his life. God protected David from lions and bears and wolves, and from the Giant Goliath, and from King Saul, and through all sorts of battles. The great Shepherd protected David when that was his want.

We also remember that David needed forgiveness. After David has had his affair with Bathsheba, and it was known that he also really had her husband killed, David needed forgiveness. Certainly his list of sins was a long one. David need, God, needed God to cleanse and forgive him. That was a great wand. It was granted.

Let me read to you part of another Psalm that David wrote. In Psalm 103, when he reflects on that want being met, David wrote, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfy us you with good as long as you live."

A few verses later, still in Psalm 103, David wrote, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding and steadfast love. He will not always accused, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repays us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the Earth, so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear Him. As far as the East is from the West, so far he removes our transgressions from us."

As I read Psalm 103, I think about David being protected and forgiven and cleansed by God, his Shepherd. I'm 63 now. As I look back, it's really easy to see how my wants have changed. The closer we get to God, our wants change. Looking back, I see my greatest blessings have nothing to do with material things.

My greatest blessings are found in my faith, my family, my friendships. When I was a child, I remember wanting so much, especially at Christmas. The Sears wish book would come, and I would wear it out looking at all the toys. I'd make a long list of all the things I wanted.

Now, Christmas, I tell my family I really want nothing. I have all I could ever want materially. Contentment is a byproduct of the Christian Life.

This week I found out that another dear friend has cancer. He will want peace through this tough time, and God offers that. He will want healing, and well, God offers that in one of two ways: physical healing or Heaven. Two great options, by the way. He will want certainty of his salvation. God offers that.

"I shall not want" means that we can trust God, Our Shepherd, to care for us always. We must do our part, however. We must follow God and realize that we're his sheep and he is our Shepherd. If we wander off, as she can do, we will always be in want.

Remember the story of the prodigal son. It's found in Luke chapter 15. One of the lessons of the story is that when the son left the father, his wants were not met.

A few years ago, I ran into a boy that I had grown up with. He was homeless. Through a series of bad habits and horrible decisions, he ended up on the street. He burned all of his Bridges with his family. His safety net was gone.

He was like a sheep without a shepherd, and all he had was wands. It was sad to see. If we're to be satisfied in this life, we must stay close to the shepherd. Don't wander off. The consequences are tragic.

Pray with me. Father, thank you for changing our wants and for exceeding all of them. Today we celebrate your grace and your forgiveness and your kindness and your love, and we are so grateful that you are always with us and we are never alone. Help us to be good sheep always. In Jesus' name, amen.

God bless. Thanks for joining me today.