Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” (NIV)
I have been thinking about whether I allow God to take care of my needs. This reflection has been sparked by conversations I recently had with my friends. Our focus has been on a passage in Psalm 23, specifically verse 1. I have been forced to ask myself, “How has God been my shepherd, and is this a true testimony of my life?” As I took an honest look, it revealed inconsistency. If it all boiled down to whether I believe this verse can be true, I believe it wholeheartedly. The inconsistency doesn’t have to do with whether I believe the verse is true; it has to do with my daily mode of operation. Do I daily trust God to take care of me?
For the most part I am efficient. I can predict my needs and the needs of my family; then as quickly as possible I make sure everyone is taken care of. Worrying about lack is not necessarily something I find myself slipping into. Here is my predicament: I really don’t want to feel lack. I have discovered that my response to lack is fear based, I tend to act before the need arises. Now I am having to ask myself, “Do I really know what I need if I don’t allow myself to feel lack?”
To feel a void, deficient or to lack something, is to recognize a need, which requires waiting. Waiting gives me an opportunity to realize what I am truly in need of, then to reflect upon God’s character and how He has taken care of my needs in the past. Allowing Him to be my Shepherd is to allow Him to be my provider. When I quiet my heart and place my trust in Him, I give Him permission to direct my day. It is then that I can live at peace knowing He provides me with all I need. Therefore, I lack nothing.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right
path for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3 (NIV)