I shall not want…
I have a lot of wants.
Ever since I was old enough to drive, if not before then, I have wanted one particular car. It’s not just any car, it is the car… a 1965 Ford Mustang. In my 48 years, I’ve seen quite a few. I’ve even driven one. But as I left the house this morning, there still wasn’t one sitting in my driveway. Make no mistake. I want one. Badly. Bright red with a stick shift would be awesome. But 30 plus years now into my dream, I still don’t have it.
I may never.
That’s just one want I have. There are plenty of others, too. I want to have a bank account where I’m having to worry about FDIC limits. I want all the leaves raked up in my yard before I have to do it. I want the weight to magically fall off so I don’t have to worry about exercise or eating right. Seems like a lot of my wants never materialize.
Truth be known, we all have wants. Some more serious than others. We want lasting relationships, friendships that go beyond surface level, job stability, good health reports. We want to know people care about us. We want to know we can put a meal on the table. We want to be able to pay the bills. We want to not stress out over life.
The claim the psalmist makes in Psalm 23:1 is pretty incredible. It is this: since the Lord is our shepherd, we will want for nothing.
How then do we reconcile that claim with the reality of our wanting lives?
The key is understanding what want is. Perhaps that word doesn’t mean what we think it does.
When we say want what we mean, generally speaking, is what we desire. It is our extensive list of things we wished we had. Like making out a Christmas list for Santa, some of those wants get pretty elaborate and extensive. After all, why not ask for those brand new kicks if you really want them? If you really desire that new job, why not expect God to give it to you? However, if we aren’t careful, we can twist this verse into making God our own personal genie. Give the command and He will snap His fingers and your want is provided for! Seems right. In fact, you can even find some religious people to say that is exactly how God works. If you believe and have enough faith, God will give you everything you want, good health, fat bank accounts, worldly possessions…you name it!
Here is the thing. That’s not how it works! A read through of the Bible throws that theory out the window real quick. God is not a genie. He is our shepherd.
In Psalm 23, want doesn’t mean desires. The Hebrew word here means to be lacking. The same word is used in Deuteronomy to describe God’s people in the wilderness. In Deuteronomy 2:9, Moses reminded the people that they wandered around for forty years, but they never lacked anything they needed. God always provided. Every time you chase the word down in scripture it is defined as lacking, missing out on, or running out of something. That has to be the same meaning in Psalms, too. So here in Psalms, David is saying that because the Lord is our shepherd, we lack for nothing. It is more closely related to needs and not desires. Every need we have is provided for, because the shepherd is caring for us. So we can say it this way, if the Lord is our shepherd, we will have everything we need.
The challenge for us is to understand the difference between desires and needs. We can trust that the Shepherd is always providing for our needs, even if a 65 Mustang is never parked in the driveway. This week we will explore how Shepherd supplies for the needs of His sheep.
Questions for Today
- If you were to make a list, how would you differentiate between what your wants are and what your needs are?
- What do you see as your top five needs in your life right now?
- How do you see God’s hand at work providing for those needs?
- How do you typically respond when you have a need and God has not yet provided for it?
Prayer for Today
Lord, thank you for being a caring shepherd who knows me and provides for every need I have. Help me trust you and be patient as you are meeting those needs on your timetable and not my own. Help me discern between what I desire and what I truly need. Let me live daily in the assurance of your continual provision for my life.
Amen.
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