Let’s make a list… What do you want right now? Your mind might quickly turn to a needed vacation to get away from the daily grind. I suspect many young mothers with toddlers in tow might dream of a quiet moment alone in the bathroom – without interruptions. Maybe if a friend invited you on a shopping trip, you could list several items that you’d want to buy. Or maybe your greatest want is less tangible; what you want most is peace, relief from pain, the feeling of being valued and appreciated, of hearing those tender words, “I love you.”
We want a lot of things, but can you imagine being in a state of mind where you didn’t want anything? Have you ever been in a place where you lacked nothing? David, the Psalmist did. Let his words linger in your mind and heart as you read them quite slowly, as if you sipping them in, treasuring each phrase. (Psalm 23)
1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
It is a psalm of comfort that soothes our painful woes. It calms us in the height of our anxiety. It speaks hope to our despair.
It’s said that a pastor once walked up to the pulpit to deliver his Sunday message. He opened his bible to the familiar Psalm 23 and spoke thoughtfully and clearly,
“The Lord is my shepherd…and THAT is enough for me!”
And then he sat down, alooking a period of silence for that very short message to sink in.
Why might having the Lord as your Shepherd bring you the very most satisfaction and contentment? Because he cares for you more than anyone else. He paid such a very high price for you and me even when we didn’t “deserve” it. His plan for us is so much better than our own, even if we act contrary to this. Even if our journey leads us to a very dark and painful place he restores our soul. In those times we most need to remember he wants to lead us THROUGH the darkest valley. He won’t leave us there alone. There are better times ahead! He comforts us as no one else can. Though we may lose everything and we feel abandoned, his mercy and love will follow us wherever we go. And perhaps most amazing…we will dwell in his house forever!
What about you? Is the Lord enough for you? It’s been said, “You don’t know how much you need Jesus until Jesus is all you have.” If you lost your job, your finances, your health, all your possessions, and maybe even your family, would the Lord your Shepherd be enough for you? I think it’s a hard question to answer honestly. We’re tempted to say, “Well yes, of course, Jesus is all I need. I’m fully satisfied with him. And yet, we are satisfied by so many lesser things. CS Lewis wrote:
“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
It’s hard to imagine a trip to the beach or drive to the mountains being like “making mud pies in a slum” until we open our eyes to all that our loving God has in store for us! That’s the real choice we face. Let’s not be “too easily pleased” but rather seek that which satisfies most: a day focused on listening to the Shepherd’s voice and following him more closely – day by day.
“Day by day, oh, dear Lord, three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly, day by day.
– lyricist Stephen Schwartz, Godspell