Lack or Want Archives | Debbie Taylor Williams

Are You a Tommy or David?

06/05/2021

Standing in the checkout line, I noticed the child from the corner of my eye. You couldn’t help but notice. He was throwing a temper tantrum. “I want it!” he wailed at the top of his lungs. The bedraggled mother tried her best to wrestle the package of M & Ms from his hands while apologizing to the cashier. She didn’t dare look at the customers in line behind her. Tommy “wanted” the M & M’s. That was clear. But his mother knew full well that her child wasn’t “lacking” for food. His temper tantrum wasn’t unfamiliar to me. Although I don’t like to admit it, sometimes I can be like Tommy. When I get my mind around what I think I want and I don’t get it, I may complain. I may whine in my spirit. What makes me different from Tommy? Height and weight. There’s something else, though, that can and should make believers different from Tommy. The renowned shepherd, David, points us to the key to being calm and trusting God rather than demanding and complaining. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 David grasped something I sometimes forget. There’s a difference between what I “want” and what I “lack.” Psalm 23:1 is best interpreted,

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack for nothing.

In other words, David was aware that the Lord was watching over him, leading him, and protecting him. He was mindful of his Shepherd’s provision. If there are times you focus more on what you want rather than on God’s provision and you want to develop a more grateful attitude, consider journaling what you are grateful for every day in Prayers of My Heart prayer journal. Why? It will help you. 7 Benefits of Journaling. Begin today looking more like Christ and less like Tommy.

Jehovah-Ra-ah, thank You for being our Shepherd. In You, we lack for nothing.

Prayers of My Heart HERE.

Are You Like Tommy or David?

06/01/2020

Standing in the grocery store check out line, I noticed the child from the corner of my eye. You couldn’t help but notice. He was throwing a temper tantrum. “I want it!” he wailed at the top of his lungs. The bedraggled mother tried her best to wrestle the package of M & Ms from his hands while struggling at the same time to apologize to the cashier. She didn’t dare look at the customers in line behind her. Tommy “wanted” the M & M’s. That was clear. But, his mother knew full well that her child wasn’t “lacking” for food. His temper tantrum wasn’t unfamiliar to me. Although I don’t like to admit it, I’m a lot like Tommy. I may not lay on the floor and kick and scream. But when I get my mind around what I want and I don’t get it, I may complain. I may whine in my spirit. What makes me different from Tommy? Height and weight. There’s something else, though, that can and should make believers different from Tommy. The renown shepherd, David, points us to the key to being calm and trusting rather than demanding and complaining. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 David had grasped something I sometimes forget. There’s a difference between what I “want” and what I “lack.” Psalm 23:1 is best interpreted, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack for nothing.” In other words, David was keenly aware that the Lord was watching over him, leading him, and protecting him. He was mindful of his Shepherd’s provision. If there are more times you focus on what you want rather than on God’s provision and you want to develop more of an attitude of gratitude, join me in daily journaling your gratitudes in Prayers of My Heart prayer journal. Discover the 7 Benefits of Journaling. Our Heavenly Father wants us to grow closer to the image of Christ and less like Tommy. Will you begin today?

Jehovah-Ra-ah, we praise You, our Shepherd. In You, we lack for nothing. May we set our minds on the things above according to Your Word. Get Prayers of My Heart HERE.

Are You Like Tommy or David?

06/22/2019

Standing in the grocery store check out line, I noticed the child from the corner of my eye. You couldn’t help but notice. He was throwing a temper tantrum. “I want it!” he wailed at the top of his lungs. The bedraggled mother tried her best to wrestle the package of M & Ms from his hands, while struggling at the same time to apologize to the cashier. She didn’t dare look at the customers in line behind her. Tommy “wanted” the M & M’s. That was clear. But, his mother knew full well that her child wasn’t “lacking” for food. His temper tantrum wasn’t unfamiliar to me. Although I don’t like to admit it, I’m a lot like Tommy. I may not lay on the floor and kick and scream. But when I get my mind around what I want and I don’t get it, I’m rather like him. I may complain. I may whine in my spirit. What makes me different from Tommy? Height and weight. There’s something else, though, that can and should make believers different from Tommy. The renown shepherd, David, points us to the key to being calm and trusting rather than demanding and complaining. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 David had a grasp on something I sometimes forget. There’s a difference between what I “want” and what I “lack.” Psalm 23:1 is best interpreted, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack for nothing.” In other words, David was keenly award that the Lord was watching over him, leading him, and protecting him. He was mindful of his Shepherd’s provision. If there are more times you focus on what you want rather than on God’s provision and you want to develop more of an attitude of gratitude, join me in daily journaling your gratitudes in Prayers of My Heart prayer journal. Discover the 7 Benefits of Journaling. Our Heavenly Father wants us to grow closer to the image of Christ and less like Tommy. Will you begin today?

Jehovah-Ra-ah, we praise You, our Shepherd. In You we lack for nothing. May we set our minds on the things above according to Your Word. Order Prayers of My Heart HERE.

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Praise to JEHOVAH-RA-AH

06/09/2018

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Psalm 23:1

Standing at the grocery store, I noticed the child from the corner of my eye. You couldn’t help but notice. He was throwing a temper tantrum. “I want it!” he wailed at the top of his lungs. The bedraggled mother tried her best to wrestle the package of M & Ms from his hands, while struggling at the same time to apologize the cashier. She didn’t dare look at the customers in line behind her. Tommy “wanted” the M & M’s. That was clear. But, his mother knew full well that her child wasn’t lacking for food.

His temper tantrum wasn’t unfamiliar to me. Although I don’t like to admit it, I’m a lot like Tommy. I may not lay in the floor and kick and scream. But when I get my mind around what I want and I don’t get it, I’m rather like him. I may complain. I may whine in my spirit. I may sulk. I may cry out loud on occasion. What makes me different from Tommy? Height and weight. What makes me different from David? He had a keen grasp on something I often forget – there’s a difference between what I “want” and what I “lack.”

David’s psalm best reads, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack for nothing.” In other words, the Lord fed him, watched over him, led him, protected him. And, David was keenly mindful of his Shepherd’s provision.

Maybe there are times when you’re like me; more aware of what we want than of what we don’t lack. If so, and you want to develop an attitude of gratitude, join me in daily journaling that for which we’re thankful each day. Prayers of My Heart prayer journal is now available and has several places where we can list that for which we’re thankful. I received a early copy from my publisher and in addition to writing PTL for “Praise the Lord” beside answered prayer, I’m also using the Month at A Glance section to daily record that for which I’m grateful. Check out the 7 Benefits of Journaling in the “Look Inside” Welcome. Get a quick glimpse of the other sections where you can record your gratefulness to God HERE. Let’s develop an attitude of gratitude for the Lord, our Shepherd and join David in praising Him, “You are Jehovah-Ra-ah. I lack for nothing.”