Want

Psalm 23:1-2 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

WANT – It’s not a word that we look at as a dirty word, but if we’re not careful it’s a word that can leave us feeling dirty.

There are things that I WANT

There’s a path for my life that I WANT

There’s a speed at which I WANT things to happen.

But the very definition of WANT can be a little troubling.

Want Definition#1: to have a desire to possess or do something, to wish for.

Want Definition#2: to lack or be short of something desirable or essential.

You see, when you get caught up in a life of WANT, you lose focus on the importance of what you already have.

And if all you can focus on is what you WISH you had, then you can never truly understand how blessed you are with what you DO have.

That is why this Psalm says, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..."

Let me explain.

When it comes to the sheep, the shepherd is responsible for the following:

Protection
Feeding
Watering
Grooming
Shelter
Etc.

The job of the sheep is not to want its own way, but to follow, trust, and choose the shepherds way.
The shepherd knows what is best for the sheep, the shepherd sees what is ahead, and the shepherd understands the needs of the sheep. 

As Henry Blackaby says, “Living like a sheep can bring you incredible peace of mind. The biblical shepherd knew everything about his sheep. He understood what foods were best for them and what would bring harm. He knew when they should eat and when they needed their thirst quenched. The shepherd was an expert of the terrain and was aware of the best places for food and water. As long as the sheep trusted and followed their shepherd, they would always have their needs met at the right time. Their shepherd would give them the best that he had."

When you think about it, doesn't it make sense that the Lord should be our shepherd?

It is when WANT creeps in that we find ourselves walking away from the safety and leadership of the shepherd.

It is the goal of the enemy (the devil) to isolate us, and lead us away from the shepherds leading, and that is where want can take us.

WANT can leave us lost.

WANT can leave us feeling inadequate.

WANT can leave us ripe for the picking.

WANT is not the shepherds path for our lives, and it takes us away from the safety of where the shepherd would guide us. 

So the next time you find yourself in "want" for a new direction in life, spend some time in prayer and place yourself in the shepherds care by asking the simple question, "Where are you leading me, Lord?"

Josh