A Life Without Lack

When you read the title of this article, what do you think? I believe that most of us would think that this article is going to talk about financial stability or material wealth and how much money we have in the bank. This is how society has taught us to think and measure our lives beside our neighbors to see how successful we are.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon puts it this way, “We have all things and abound; not because I have a good store of money in the bank, not because I have skill and wit with which to win my bread, but because the Lord is my shepherd.

I think if you have any kind of experience with Christianity and the Bible you have heard of the 23 Psalm. It is popular Psalm and most people can quote it word for word. King David wrote this psalm approximately 3000 years ago. He knew God, not just head knowledge, but he had a personal in person relationship with God. I thought I would include the complete psalm so you all could refresh your memories or even refer back to the psalm as you read this article.

Psalm 23, New American Standard Bible 1995

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

2

He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

3

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

4

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.

5

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

6

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

When David wrote “The Lord is my Shepherd, he shows that he, David, is under the care of someone else, and he does not control his life. When we become children of God, we surrender control of our lives to God and we understand his sovereignty, and through that sovereignty He guides us with his wisdom and knowledge. We understand that all things are from Him and through Him and to Him. (Romans 11:36) In other words we recognize God as the creator of the universe and everything in it. We can trust God to lead us because He never changes, He, God, is immutable. In plain English, God’s life doesn’t change. Malachi 3:6 “I the LORD do not change.” When we believe in God, then we know he doesn’t change. The words from Malachi are the absolute truth. This is why David put his absolute his trust in God.

The second part of this verse says “I shall not want,” is the hinge that the rest of this Psalm turns on. We can rephrase this statement without jeopardizing the integrity of this Psalm. “I shall not lack anything.” If we seek God and His kingdom and make that a priority in our lives we surely will not lack anything. Now this does not mean you will not have trials and suffering in your life. It doesn’t mean you will have great wealth or material possessions. What it does mean, when we rely on God during rough times in our lives, He will always be there. Hebrews 13:5b “For He himself said, I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Verse 2 tells us, “He makes us to lie down in green pastures.” The question or statement this phrase makes, I am content with what my Lord has given and and therefore (for that reason) I am full physically and spiritually and emotionally. For example, when sheep are content they lie down; if not they will be standing and eating.

“He leads me beside the still waters.” If we are content spiritually and the Holy Spirit has filled our cups (soul) to overflowing then we are not thirsty, or nervous about life and its outcome. John 4:13-14, New American Standard Bible 1995

13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

“He restores my soul.” We are broken people because of the sin in our lives. We are sinners from the time we born until the time of our death because of the sin Adam and Eve committed centuries ago. We cannot forgive ourselves or give ourselves salvation. That is given by the free grace of God through His Son Jesus and what He did for us, for dying and His resurrection from the grave. If we believe that and have faith in Jesus Christ, our souls will be regenerated and we will have eternal life which results in a personal relationship with God and our spirit (soul) will never thirst for things of God.

“He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” My life is restored; it is healed of its sinful brokenness. In other words, when I am walking towards my last days on earth and I have asked forgiveness of my sins, Jesus through his free gift of grace, restores my life to a state of righteousness on His behalf. I then know my soul is in a right relationship with God. I then trust my Shepherd beyond anything I can comprehend, I can then declare:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” The question that begs to be asked, would you like a life without lack so that you can walk through the valley of life and not fear what was coming? Do you want to have a faith in God, a person who never changes? A person who gives you wisdom and knowledge to face each day? A person whom you can talk with about any situation, or issue in your life. If you want a life like that, then you can truly say, “I will fear no evil.” You can say because I have the Creator in my life. I will fear no evil. People will ask how can that be? Your answer is in the next short phrase.

“For You are with me.” Remember Hebrews 13:5b, for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” The central truth of this Psalm is God’s sufficiency for our lives that we should not lack anything when we have a relationship with Him.

“Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Shepherds of long ago used to carry a staff and rod to fight off wild animals which would attach the flock of sheep. This was his defense in protecting the sheep and himself. When we understand that rod and staff, God’s Word and our prayers are our defense against the evil ways of Satan, we then understand we can sit in the comfort of Jesus and He will protect us.

“Your prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” We read in Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, do good to those who persecute you.” We should invite our enemies to join us at the table of God. We should testify of the blessings and grace that God has given us. We should also pray of our enemies that they should find forgiveness at the table and learn of God’s goodness and kindness.

“You anoint my head with oil.” We should not only invite our enemies to God’s table to feast upon His Goodness, but we should also tell them how God’s grace through His Son’s obedience to Him will change our lives from the sins of the world. Anointing our heads with the oil of righteousness cleanses our hearts. To put this layman’s terminology, it is like when we have been working all day and we’er dirty and sweaty. We take a hot shower and towel off, we feel refreshed. That’s what it feels like when the Holy Spirit anoints us the cleansing oil of God’s Spirit.

“My cup runs over.” To put this phrase in perspective, two thousand years ago when someone came to visit you and over stayed their welcome, the host did not say you must leave, we are tired of your company. No, when they sat down to eat and the wine was poured, the unwanted guest’s cup was left empty. This told the guest it was time for him / her to go. If you wanted to enjoy your guest’s company for a longer period of time, you filled their cup so it overflowed. David is saying that when God asks us to sit at His table, He fills your cup to overflowing, saying to you I never want you to leave my presence.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Jesus is saying when you believe in Me you will have eternal life. Dwelling in the house of the Lord forever is having eternal life. When you believe in God as you walk on this earth, God will supply you with enough grace to get through all the situations and challenges you face in life.

This is a Psalm of comfort for this life we live on earth. When we believe and have faith in Jesus, we understand what the Good Shepherd does for us. Even though this Psalm is used a funerals more than any other scripture, it is also a Psalm for everyday use. It is also a Psalm that promotes the understanding of the place God should have in your life.

“A life without lack is a life in which one is completely satisfied and sustained, No matter what happens. No matter what happens! It is not merely a matter of gritting your teeth and hanging on. It is a matter of real provisions directly from God to you.” Dallas Willard.

By David Cole, CRE, Encampment Presbyterian Church