Psalm 23:1b “I shall not want.”
[Four short words, describing the outcome of having an infinite, holy Shepherd who gives absolute, total, wise, powerful and perfect provision. To know you, the great and gracious One, who holds the future in your hand, who is the source of all supply, who makes the good decision of what will come to us–this is enough.
Your provision is not always what we desire, but it what we actually need. It goes far beyond what is visible and tangible.
–You provided salvation through your Son, at great cost to the whole Trinity.
–You provided your Spirit to convict us of guilt, to shepherd us into belief and repentance and then to dwell within giving unending gracious guidance.
–You provided adoption into the Family and Kingdom of God, along with love, forgiveness, transformation.
–You continually pour into our lives ever growing peace, love, joy and hope, as we trust in you.
–You provide healing, growth and maturing in our souls: our mind, will and emotions.
–You provide belonging, worth and competence, three items every human heart yearns for.
–You provide unending and immeasurable significance and security, the desire of every person.
–You provide protection from the evil one, evil men and our own evil nature.
–You filter out of our lives the events that will harm us spiritually, and bring to us the events that will challenge, deepen, equip and mature us.
–You provide us with weakness, hardships, insults and persecutions–platforms upon which we can give you glory through trust and praise, the sacrifice of thanksgiving, honoring you before the watching crowds of people, demons and angels.
–You provide what is needed in the physical realm, which is often less than we desire, but much more than we deserve.
–You pour out more than we need, so we can then provide for the needs of others.
Praise be to you, O my Great Shepherd. Forgive me for grumbling about not having this or that and forgetting the immeasurable, invaluable, invisible things you pour into my life every day. Truly, I shall not want.
Help me to live in the Truth and Security of your choosing to be my Shepherd, of your being the focus of my life, my heart, my activities, my future. To you be honor and glory today in all I do, say and think.
