Tuesday – Week Two

I shall not want..

It’s one thing to say we’ll never lack for anything, it’s another thing entirely to believe that is true. We envision all kinds of scenarios where we discover a great need, and then realize we don’t have enough to survive. The what if’s are endless.

What if there is a pile of bills to pay and your bank account is hitting on zero?

What if there are deadlines looming and time is quickly running out?

What if you’ve got to get to work and your car decides to quit on you?

What if you have to make a good grade on a test to pass and you still don’t understand the material?

What if, what if, what if.

We’ve all been there. We are keenly aware of a need and looking around to realize that the provisions aren’t seeming to materialize. The anxiety level goes up and if we aren’t careful our faith level goes down. When we can’t see how the Shepherd is going to provide, we start taking matters in our own hands to provide for ourselves. In doing so, often we miss the blessing that He was about to provide if we would have just trusted that He had it under control.

It is important to realize that the Shepherd sees things differently from sheep. He has a better view. He knows not only the needs of His sheep, but how best to meet those needs. In fact, sometimes the needs the sheep are sure they have are not really the needs they have. There may be a more pressing need that the Shepherd must address. Maybe the need really isn’t about a bank account that is depleted. Maybe the need isn’t about the time or resources you don’t have. Maybe there is a bigger need that you can’t yet see. While all you may can see is the immediate, the Shepherd is providing for something far greater.

In Mark 4 we find a great story of some guys who were absolutely sure of a need they had that wasn’t yet being met. You’ve got Jesus’ twelve disciples in a boat, headed across the Sea of Galilee. Suddenly, a fierce storm kicked up, throwing the boat and her passengers around in a violent upheaval. The wind was howling, the waves were crashing hard, and the boat was beginning to fill up with water. The disciples saw the situation. They were going under. They were going to die. What greater need could there possibly be?

Jesus was with them. As it happened, He was undisturbed by the storm. Now I can sleep through almost anything, but here Jesus was fast asleep in what seemed to be the most frightening storm these guys had ever seen. The men woke Jesus and began to fuss at Him.

“Don’t you care we are about to die!?”

Jesus got up and did two things. First, He rebuked the storm and told it to be quiet. It stopped its fury in an instant.

Then, He turned His attention to the disciples.

He didn’t tell them, “Glad you woke me so I could handle your need.”

Nope. He fussed at them.

He said, “Why are you afraid? Where is your faith?”

He was telling them, “Don’t you believe that I’m going to take care of you?” Jesus was in the boat with them. They were not going to drown. They did not lack what they needed.

They saw a need. Jesus wanted them to see Him and know that they don’t have to worry about the need. He’s got it.

The Shepherd is with us. Jesus knows our situations far better than we do. It may be true that the needs are pretty significant around us. All we may feel are the wind and waves of the storm. Our boat may be seeming to fill up. That can be a scary proposition. However, Jesus is still in the boat with us. He will not let us drown. Our greatest need in that moment is not that He calm the storm, but rather that we trust Him in the midst of the storm. As long as the Shepherd is with us, the sheep just need to trust that He will provide what we need as we need it. With the Shepherd, we will lack nothing we need.

Questions for Today

1. Why is it hard to trust the Shepherd to provide of the needs you have?
2. In What ways do you sometimes try to take over and meet needs yourself?
3. How does it feel when you see the Shepherd provide in ways you didn’t anticipate?
4. What is one example of a need you had that was provided for by Jesus alone?

Prayer for Today

Lord, I trust you to meet the needs I have. Trusting you doesn’t mean I walk recklessly. You call me to walk wisely. I am choosing to rely on you to provide for what I need today. You see things clearer than I do, you have better resources than I do, and you have the plan for my life that brings blessing. As my Shepherd, take care of me, Your sheep, today.

Amen.