My Good Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Besides restful waters he leads me;
He refreshes my soul.” (Psalm 23: 1-3)

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, I reflect what it means to me when I say that Jesus is my Good Shepherd. I remember many years ago when I first took spiritual notice of this Psalm. What struck me immediately was the phrase: “I shall not want.” It was probably the lowest period of my life when I seemed to experience every type of want. It was also the beginning of my conversion experience. I was also beginning to gain the insight that the word of God is true and trustworthy. Starting with God’s word and not my actual experience I tried to understand the meaning of the words. I argued that if God says that He is my Good Shepherd, therefore I have everything I need, this means that I have here and now everything I need. I turned this proposition in my mind for some time and then began to list every type of need that I experienced at that time, namely:

Health
Money
Job
Peace
Food
Tools
It was impossible on the surface to say that I had everything that I needed. I must have been aided by grace at the time because dissecting the above needs one by one, I saw clearly that I was adequate in everything. The configuration of each supply was in accordance with my real need of the time. When I saw the light, I thanked God for it. What is the key to my insight? I started with God’s word and not my needs. I believed prior to reflecting on God’s word that His word is true and trustworthy. I was reading God’s love letter to me. He says to me right here and right now: “I am your Good Shepherd, you shall not want.” Do I believe Him or not?

Over the years since that initial reflection, in periods of dire necessities, I return to Psalm 23 and repeat the reflection that gave me the light. I have also been exposed to other insights on “I shall not want.” In one period of great need, a friend in Australia wrote to me as follows:

“Don’t you have a roof over your head tonight? Do you not have food on the table tonight?”

This helped me to realize that all that I truly need here and now is what I truly have here and now. Jesus puts it in these memorable words:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.

Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” (Matthew 6: 33-34)

Jesus Christ is indeed the Good Shepherd.