Psalm 23:1
Are You a Tommy or David?
Standing in the checkout line, I noticed the child from the corner of my eye. You couldn’t help but notice since he was wailing at the top of his lungs, “I want it!” His bedraggled mother tried her best to wrestle the package of M&Ms from his hands while at the same time apologize to the cashier.
Tommy wanted the M & M’s, but his mother knew that her child was not “lacking” for food. Although I don’t like to admit it, there are times I can be like Tommy when things aren’t going my way. But there is another to whom we can look who points us to the key to being calm and trusting rather than demanding and complaining.
David, the shepherd boy who became king, is an example to us. In Psalm 23:1 he stated, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Say those words with me. “I shall not want.”
David grasped what 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 (Jehovah-Ra-Ah), I lack for nothing.”
In other words, David was aware that the Lord was watching over him, leading, and protecting him. He was mindful of his Shepherd’s presence and provision.
If there are times you focus more on what you want rather than on God’s present provision and you desire to develop a more grateful attitude, consider daily journaling that for which you are grateful. Begin being more like David and less like Tommy.
JEHOVAH-RA-AH, thank You for being our Shepherd. Help us be increasingly mindful that in You we lack for nothing.
Join us beginning July 10th for a new study on the book of Jude! Through the study, you’ll learn about the importance of guarding your faith and being mindful of what you are being taught. For more information and to register, click HERE.
Are You a Tommy or David?
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack for nothing.
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?
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.
Is God Ever Angry with Me
Have you ever wondered if God is angry with you? I have. It’s a troubling thought to think God might be angry with us. I’ve researched the subject and yes, there are times recorded in Scripture where we find, “The anger of the Lord burned against…”one of His children. On one occasion it was Moses. Why? Because he told God that he wasn’t a good speaker; so therefore wasn’t a good candidate for the job of leading the Israelites out of Egypt. (Exodus 4:10-14). Makes us kind of want to chuckle, right; because we know the end of the story. Perhaps Moses’s story encourages us. Yes, we too, may have backed down from God’s calling to a position or maybe we’ve backed down from God’s calling to holiness and we wonder if it’s made God angry. But just as He shepherded Moses in His holy will, He shepherds us. David said it well in Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” In what way is He shepherding you today?
Heavenly Father, we’re thankful You’re our SHEPHERD. Help us be wise sheep who stay close by Your side and follow You.
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord [i]forever.
*Remember to record God’s attributes in your Prayers of My Heart journal. As you do, praise Him for all He means to you.
Praise to the Lord, My SHEPHERD
“The Lord is my SHEPHERD, I shall not want.”
This is probably one of the more familiar ways in which we know God: SHEPHERD. We say the 23rd Psalm at weddings and funerals. We love this psalm because it comforts us to know that God is our SHEPHERD. He’s leading us. He’s protecting us. He’ll take us through life, death, and home to heaven. For what better reason could we praise Him?
Lord God, You are my SHEPHERD, and I praise You!
*Remember to record God’s attributes in your Prayers of My Heart journal. As you do, praise Him for all He means to you.
CLICK HERE for MORE encouragement in your WALK with GOD!
What’s In Your Hand?
“The Lord is my portion,” Psalm 119:57a
Would you like a helping of mashed potatoes? How about gravy on your turkey? As Thanksgiving approaches, images of buffet lines with mouth watering foods appear on magazine covers and cooking shows. “I’ll take a portion of that,” we say in relation to food. But how often do we consider the Lord as our Portion? We may admit we’re familiar with “The Lord is my Shepherd,” but not, “The Lord is my Portion.” Lately, I’ve been struck by this verse. Why? Because I’m not always mindful of it. Although the Lord has given Himself to me to satisfy my deepest needs; too often I grab from the world’s buffet. I hold to a loaf of what someone said that hurt me. I refill my cup with their critical words. I empty my plate only to refill it with the same temptation. The result? I’m left longing. But what if instead I turned my back on the world’s buffet and reached for the a heaping portion of the Lord? What if I took a slice of the bread of life and read a chapter in the Bible? What if I drank in the living water of His Spirit? The fact is, “The Lord is my Sheperd,” but He’s also, “…my Portion.” I’m reaching for Him this week. How about you? What’s in your hand?
SHEPHERD
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
Psalm 23:1
This is probably one of the most familiar ways in which we know God. Shepherd. We say the 23rd Psalm at weddings and funerals and in between. We love this psalm because it comforts us to know that God is our shepherd. He’s leading us. He’s protecting us. He’ll take us through life, death, and home to heaven. For what better reason could we praise Him?
Lord God, You are my SHEPHERD and I praise You!
*Remember to record God’s attributes in your Prayers of My Heart journal. As you do, praise Him for all He means to you.
CLICK HERE for MORE encouragement in your WALK with GOD!