The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not WHAT???
Well, as the Psalm says, "The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want."
Hmmm? Well, what does that mean exactly? Does it really mean that I'll never want?
I went shopping the other day with my youngest daughter. We were only there for a couple of items, but it had been so long since I've shopping... I mean like really, really shopping... that all of the sudden I 'want'-ed everything! I had GREAT want! I wanted things that I didn't even need. I wanted things that I normally didn't even like. I just wanted! I wanted a lot! I wanted it all!
I told Sabrina as I put my hands as blinders up to my face to shield my eyes, I said, "Sabrina, you need to get me out of here f~a~s~t, because I am one HUGE WANT right now! I'm nothing but a BIG Want! I have great need to won't my want, but my won't isn't won't-ing... my want's not listening!!! My won't is getting weak and if we don't do something quickly it's about to fail me!"
We laughed and basically ran to checkout before I couldn't won't my wants anymore.
I've thought a lot about that since then. Thinking that sometimes that's exactly what we need. Sometimes we have great need to won't our wants. But often it's the latter want that proves greater and our won't-er loses in the end, because our want-er bows to its wants submission.
At this moment as I type, it's not shopping I want. I want food! Lots of it! Rich foods! Fattening foods! Greasy food! GOOD food! Heavy food! But.. I'm trying to won't my food instead. I don't need it. I'm not even hungry. I just want to eat. Like I said earlier, and as I am reminded of daily, it's not always easy to won't your wants, but I am desperately trying to won't mine today.
I keep trying to visualize the spelling in my head. Rather than seeing it spelled as, "I want food!" I keep trying to visualize this spelling instead, "I won't food." And I'll won't it all night long until bed! I'm not sure how well it'll all work out. But I'm doing everything I can to take my mind off it and avoid the kitchen. I'll let you know how it went in the morning. And if I wanted more than I won't-ed.... or if my won't-er, this time, simply failed to won't it.
Okay, you're turn. Now, let me ask you. What's your want?
No, let's change that. What's your won't?
Tonight might you be won't-ing a drink for the sake of your Savior? Or, are you won't-ing a drug because you know it's harmful to you? Are you won't-ing an addiction because you're tired of it's prison? Are you won't-ing a guy or a girl that you've been falling for that you know that you shouldn't? Are you won't-ing something delicious that's astronomically filled with calories? Are you won't-ing a dress that you can't afford buying? Or is it a cigarette that you're won't-ing and that sounds so awfully tempting? Are you won't-ing to watch something online or on television that you know is forbidden? Are you won't-ing sex with a person that you've have no right to because you're not married to them?
What it is that you're won't-ing simply because your Lord told you not to, because He has your best interest at heart?
"The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want".... because He alone is our Provider and can satiate all of our wants... all of our needs. He alone can satisfy! He alone can fill! In all reality when you really think about it, all of our want wants Him!
Yes, the Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want!
And maybe on some days it can be said, the Lord is my Shepherd I shall not won't. Meaning, that I shall not 'won't' what He's said. I shall not won't His commands. I shall not won't what He wants... nor won't where He leads... nor won't where He sends... because I'd rather obey Him, because I want to do what He wants!
Or maybe it's because the Lord is my Shepherd I shall won't all other wants that tempt me to bow and submit to it instead of bowing and submitting to Him.
We're all want-ers at heart. But when Jesus is our Lord, then He is our Shepherd, and then all of our wants are tied up in Him.
"The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want."
And because The Lord is my Shepherd I dare not won't Him!
Maybe after reading my crazy way of thinking next time you want something, you'll rethink it and simply just won't it instead? :)
Which are you? A want-er? Or won't-er?
Which mostly wins?
Such a relaxing place. I hope you don't mind if I splash around a bit to get to know you.
ReplyDeleteHugs for your night,
sara
Ah Mrs. Sara, you're are totally more than welcome! I do hope your swim was a good one! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon!
ReplyDeleteI see your comments on the LPM blog often and thought I would check your blog out. I came across this post and I really like your perspective on this passage. I love how you said, "all of our want wants Him". I keep wanting direction toward a specific job/ministry. I am 27 years old and married, and so far God has kept me at home for the past 2 years after my last job ended. I have known Him more over these past 2 years than ever before, but now I'm feeling antsy for something new. Yet I still feel God's hand is heavy on me to stay here, in this "wilderness". Its getting harder and harder to trust that He's got a plan, b/c I can't see anything for the future. Anyway, you have challenged me to won't my focus on wanting a job/ministry position, and instead put my focus on where my want truly lies: HIM ALONE. Thanks for writing this Sharon!
Katie Taylor, AL
Dear Katie, Isn't it fun meeting new sisters from the LPM blog! Don't you know for certain that that was indeed part of God's purpose when He prompted the Moore's to start blogging! I so love how our God works!
ReplyDeleteLet me tell you something that I am sure you also know. God not only has a plan and a purpose... not only does He prepare us.... but even in our not knowing (which most of us to begin with don't), He knows we don't know... and it's up to Him to tell and to show us, to lead and to guide us. In our "waits" He is preparing, equipping, and determinedly and individually working. Often we feel like our waiting time is in vain, but trust me, dear girl, I've learned that it is not! As the words to one song sings, "We are still running our race while we wait."
Proverbs 3:5-6 are two of my very favorite verses, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in ALL your ways acknowledge Him, and He WILL make your paths straight." Another version, "and He shall direct thy path."
Either He will or He won't.. and He says He will, so I choose to trust Him to!
One of the things I say to God more often than most things is, "God, I don't know unless I know... and I won't know until You tell me!"
Why would He not???
If we seriously and sincerely are wanting to do His will and His purpose even when we don't know it, why would He not show us? He knows we don't know if we don't. He knows we can't know until He does! He wants it more than we want it! Perhaps part of our "wait"... part of our not knowing's purpose is to seek Him with all of our heart, to draw closer to Him, to sit still at His feet, to continually converse with Him.... otherwise, we might too quickly throw ourselves into the work that He's given and forget to soak ourselves in Him alone!
Not only that. I think that often we want to do whatever the "big" thing is that He's called us to do. And we quickly forget that EVERY little thing is just as important! Just as real! Just as needed! It too has a great purpose! It too has it's reason. It too has it's great affect!
Katie, you sound adorable! Your heart sounds precious! God knows it more than I do. And surely, He's up to working something wonderful! Be faithful in the little... and trust Him to lead you to the HARD!!! ((*smile*))
Funny! We forget that the bigger thing IS the hardest thing, the scarest thing, the thing we feel most insecure and inadequate in! Maybe that is one reason too, that the time of the "wait" is so important, because He is building our awe and our trust in Him in order to do the hard thing that we're called to!
You've provoked my own much needed thinking this morning, Katie. Thank you for the comment. I will be praying that God shows you great wonders even in your daily living of obedience to Him!
Loving a sister that I have not yet met!
sharon