Are You Still In Want? The LORD is Your Shepherd

"A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23: 1)

Do you find yourself in want today? Do you have lack?

The LORD is your Shepherd.

What does that mean, though?

If we find that lack still persists in our lives, in spite of our most ardent Bible-reading, then we have to return to the first part of the first verse of this beloved Psalm.

The LORD is your Shepherd.

Who is the LORD? The original Hebrew writes Y-H-W-H:

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3: 14)

Do you see Jesus your Shepherd holding all of time in His hands, having gone before you and prepared the way?

He is our Shepherd, which means that He has given everything for us

"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10: 11)

and then

"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10: 14)

What did Jesus mean when He called Himself the Good Shepherd? John explains further in his First Epistle:

It means that we both know and believe in His love for us (1 John 4:16).

How do we see this love for us? In the Cross:
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." (1 John 4: 9)

Then

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)

Notice that Jesus our Good Shepherd did not just lay down His life for us, and then nothing more.

His laying down His life has eternal consequences for us, for His blood keeps cleansing us (1 John 1: 7) and speaks better things than the condemning blood of Abel (Hebrews 12: 23-24)

He is our Shepherd, watching out for us, caring for us:

"3And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke 15: 3-7)

The Shepherd sought, found, brought back, and celebrated the sheep.

Do you see Jesus as your Shepherd, one who will always stand by you and care for you?

When you have this growing revelation, then you will find yourself no longer in want, because He is caring for you.