I Shall Not Want

“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…” When I first began attending biblical studies and lectures I was baffled by the way many of the speakers spoke: their vocabulary was strange (they used all these terms that I had no idea what they meant) and they talked about God in a really personal way… Every time one of the speakers would share that in prayer God spoke to him I would imagine God coming down from heaven and speaking with a human voice. And as I began to pray I waited and waited to hear the voice of God spoken from the heavens- but it never came. Slowly I began to understand that God rarely speaks in this way… This week God has spoken to me by presenting Psalm 23 throughout my life- I heard it at Sunday Mass, during my retreat on Saturday, as I was praying with Saint Francis yesterday- among other times this week… I have been a little blue lately- mostly because I like a man a lot- and I get impatient wanting to know how he feels about me. Nothing has been established between the two of us- our relationship is not even at a level where we have active communication- our messages are scare and usually initiated by me. Then getting all this info from Boy Meets Girl that the man should always pursue totally hit me in the face and I panicked. But as I sought God for guidance I realized that every case of two is unique- the messages I have sent this person and the attention that I have given him haven’t violated any Christian courting principle- I am not asking him on a date I am simply trying to get to know him and show him I am interested! Yet, as I reflected on all this material that I have been reading and my actions I began to get really confused and anxious- and I sought quiet and God’s direction. Psalm 23 is what God has given me specifically the first verse: “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…” 

I have saturated my Facebook page trying to open up and show this person who I am in hopes he will notice me and I have reached out to him many times in messages. I have prayed and waited on the Lord and while I was hoping that my wait would bring me this man – I have received these comforting words, “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…” If life were a performance who would you be performing for? All this time I had been dancing trying to get this person to notice me and over the weekend God redirected my focus to Him. Everyone wants to be loved and accepted- and in God we have ultimate, unconditional, patient love and acceptance.  We were made to perform and to dance- but to do so for the Lord – that is worship. All this time I was trying to impress this person and I felt like I was failing terribly… And the thing is that when we want to perform and worship for others it will always be unsatisfying and painful because we were made to worship only the one,perfect Father in heaven. 

“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…” Nine words with the power to zap our selfishness and redirect our focus to the One that has promised us that He is enough! If we have Him we shall not want. If I have Him I shall not want. There’s still a bit on insecurity trying to calm this desire for romantic love – especially as another year goes by- BUT God promises that He will provide and I shall not ever be left wanting. Right now He’s showing me to, “not awaken love before it so desires.” This dance with the Lord is serious business (smile) and as a weak human I constantly need His redirection and leadership... As Thanksgiving approaches lets be thankful for what we have and for what we are yet to receive (SMILE). To reflect and tattoo this beautiful image in our minds and in our hearts, “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…”

An aside: 

Out of ten lepers only one returns to thank Jesus- let us imitate this leper and praise God this Thanksgiving for what He has given and what He was denied.  If we are having trouble or are new to giving thanks, here's a short video that I hope inspires you, God's love and Happy Thanksgiving!