I shall not want.

 I remember as a little boy of seven years old reading these words and saying to myself, I surely don’t want the Lord to be my shepherd. A few months earlier I had watched my daddy, who was my best friend, who had taught me to play golf and baseball and with whom I had hunted on many an adventure, draw his last breath and slip away into eternity. As one whose world was his earthly father, I did not know how to ask a heavenly Father for anything but to not let my Daddy die. When the sovereign purpose of God took him anyway, I became hardened and did not want anything to do with a Lord who would take away the one I loved the most in the world.  I surely did not want Him to be my Shepherd! It was not until many years later that when this same sovereign God who took my daddy was pleased to reveal Himself in me who did not want Him that I came to the true understanding of these words, I shall not want. Indeed, this Shepherd is truly the One who provides for all of the cares and desires and needs and comforts of this poor lost sheep. With the persistent, guiding hand of the Great Shepherd, I shall come behind in nothing that pertains to this life or the life to come. Blessed be His Name for He shall not suffer His sheep the lack of anything needed in this life!  He will provide all, for it is the Lord Who works and to will in His elect sheep all of His good pleasure (Phil. 3:13).