EVERYTHING

pronoun: all that is important, the whole lot

The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need. Psalm 23:1 GNT

Instead of “I have everything I need,” many translations of this comforting Psalm say “I shall not want.”

But sometimes we do want.

We want things to be different. We want to feel better. We want the healing, the relationship, the results, the answer, the relief. And we often feel like these are not simply wants, but needs.

David wrote this Psalm as one who clearly understood sheep. A shepherd knows that these vulnerable animals require constant care. They need healthy, mineral-rich pastures cleared of weeds and holes. They need a continual supply of clean water and fresh hay. They need shelter to protect them from the hot sun and bitter cold, and fences to keep them from wandering away. They need care for their injuries, and medicinal oil applied regularly to prevent the distress of parasites. They need a brave and alert protector who is willing to sacrifice sleep and even physical harm to fight off predators.

 David was a devoted shepherd who not only knew the needs of his flock, but had both the strength and the desire to take care of them.

 So, when he wrote Psalm 23 beginning with, “The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need…” I think we can trust that he knows what he is talking about.

 Jesus, our good shepherd, cares for us in this exceptionally personal, intricately detailed, and sacrificial way. But does that mean we will always have everything we want and think we need? Does that mean that followers of Jesus won’t get hurt, feel betrayed, lose someone they love, or experience dark times?  

 I can’t think of one friend of mine–Christian or not–who has been spared the grief and stress of this life.

 So, what is the promise then?

 If we belong to the fold of Jesus, can we really trust that he will give us everything we need?

 In his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, W. Phillip Keller–a pastor and former shepherd, answers this question by comparing his friends. Some of them (who do not know Jesus) are extremely affluent and successful by the world’s standards, yet he described them as “poor in spirit, shriveled in soul, and unhappy in life.”

 By contrast, many of his Christian friends who had “known hardship, disaster, and the struggle to stay afloat financially,” he described as being “rich in spirit, generous in heart, and large of soul. They radiate a serene confidence and quiet joy that surmounts all the tragedies of their time. They are under God’s care and they know it. They have entrusted themselves to Christ’s control and found contentment.”[1]

 Peace. Contentment. Confidence. Joy.

 Everything we need comes from our good shepherd who lays down his life for us:

A safe place to settle with him,

an unlimited supply of living water,

restoration for our souls.

Guidance in the right direction,

real comfort and companionship in the scariest, darkest times,

provision–abundance–even in the midst of stress.

The soothing protection and healing of his Spirit,

overflowing grace,

goodness and compassion no matter what happens,

and the hope of life forever with him.

Dear Jesus, you are my good shepherd. You are always watching over me and faithfully attending to every single one of my needs. Thank you for sacrificing your life for mine and making me yours. Amen.

TAKE YOUR TICKET

Jesus gives me everything I need.

Let’s remember who is taking care of us as we go into this day.

[1] W. Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007), 33-34.