“The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want.”  “I shall not want,” is the second part of the 1st verse of the 23^rd Psalm.  These are two separate statements, and the second statement is an extension of the first, a “magnifier” of sorts. When the Lord is our Shepherd, and He is, then we lack nothing.  Again, when David says “I shall not want” he is also saying that there may be areas in our lives that only God can fulfill, and He promises to fulfill them.  So, when David says “I shall not want” he is acknowledging how completely reliant he is on God as his Shepherd.

We may not have all that we desire, but we trust that God is providing for us every single day.  We may be struggling, but we must know that God will never place more on us than we can bear. We may be struck down, heartbroken, or in despair, but we trust that God has never left our side.  These words of Psalm 34 also lift us up; “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit”.  As I studied all the shepherd-sheep relationships with God, I am satisfied, and so can you.  The shepherd must be concerned about his sheep.  He watches throughout the day to make sure that all is well. He must see that the land is not neglected.  He must be willing to devote a great deal of time to his flock.  Failure to do so would leave these sheep having to gnaw away at bare brown fields and open them up to the prey of other creatures who would devour them, and even thieves.

A pathetic sheep is one facing distress in the way of lacking green grass, fresh water, shade, and shelter from storms.  They might also experience wounds, bruises, disease, and the list could go on.  You may know of someone that has experienced struggles in their lives including trying to stay afloat financially in troubling times.  You might also see in that someone that they belong to Christ and have recognized Him as the Lord and Master of their lives.  Have you ever noticed the confidence and radiance and sweet joy they exude, despite the tragedies in their lives?

The Christian, the Shepherd’s sheep, can stand up and proudly proclaim, and even boast, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”  We must be completely satisfied and reliant upon Christ’s management of our life.  He is that Shepherd in whom no trouble is too great as He cares for us.  He has a fondness for us His sheep.  On Earth’s timeline, He is on the job 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  He does not slumber or sleep.

It can be no small wonder that Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd.”   We see that He was willing to lay down His life for us on the cross, but it didn’t end there.  He rose from the dead and continues to keep watch over us.  Blessed are you in this sublime picture whose life is under Christ’s control – yes, the God of our salvation.  Next month: “He makes me lie down in green pastures.”