lO.R.D. He is my shepherd, I do not lack anything.
Psalm 23:1
With Jesus my Shepherd, I lack nothing
What is missing in your life? In the context of reading this devotional and being reminded of the opening verses of Psalm 23, you can immediately confess with David, “Since the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need.” But as the days go by, the week progresses, and you look at your bills, deadlines, relationships, health, and responsibilities, you may feel like something is missing. There may be something lacking in your marriage, job satisfaction, daily routine or life in general. You may be able to immediately name the missing item. Maybe even sit with a friend over coffee and talk for an hour about what’s missing from your life.
Why then are David’s words, “The Lord is my Shepherd. I will lack nothing” on the lips of countless generations of God’s people? Is it a quiet expression of faith in God’s providence? Is it to remind them to be content, despite their feelings of loss, frustration, or fear? Or is it a prayer asking the Lord to keep their minds focused on His love for them? You probably won’t be surprised if I suggest it was all of the above.
It’s true that some things people want flow from misplaced priorities. The human heart, darkened by original sin, may desire things that are not yours or that are not for your good. The Lord calls you to repent and return to Him, to find in His forgiving grace the one thing you really need in this life.
In other cases, what seems to be missing may actually be something pleasing to God, a blessing that only He can give, but for some reason seems elusive to you right now: like peace, security, satisfaction, or hope. The Lord invites you to trust in his love for you and in his promises, which are fulfilled in Jesus, the Good Shepherd. He bound himself to you and gave his life for you. You can confidently say with David, “He is my Shepherd. With him, I have everything I will ever need.”
Prayer: (CW, 552:1)
The king of love is my shepherd,
Whose goodness never disappoints me;
If I am his then I don’t lack anything,
And he is mine forever. Amen.
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used with permission from Zondervan. All rights reserved world wide.
