The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want (2-fer, #2)

I said in the post, Going Backwards to Move Forward (just before this one) that today is a 2-fer day, so here’s number 2…

Today was the first day we tried Abby in Sunday School...she's been doing so great in Kindergarten, bonding wonderfully with us and for some reason, I just really WANTED to go to Sunday School (confession, that's not always the case, but today I did) no doubt, it's because God had something He wanted to say to me...

For the next several weeks, my friend Kathy is going to be leading us through the 23rd Psalm...she is using Phillip Keller's book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 as her guidebook, it is a wonderful book if you're looking for something to read...

Anyway, Kathy did a wonderful job leading us to consider each piece of the first verse... The Lord (Who is the Lord? Creator, Savior, King of Kings, Mighty One, etc)...Is My Shepherd (And what does that mean? He is nurturing, He loves us, He provides and cares for us, He pursues us)...I Shall Not Want (Not talking about material blessings, which He does give us, but spiritual blessings...we shall not want spiritually)...

There was so much to think about...but the thing that completely changed my perspective was her statement that this first verse is a declaration...it's not something we have to hope for...we can say definitively...The Lord is My Shepherd...I Shall Not Want and believe it!

I mentioned in the "About Me" part of this blog that I'm a Teaching Director (TD) for Community Bible Study...that means each week I'm responsible for preparing a lecture, shepherding leaders, who are shepherding the women and children of our class and being a friend...

Last spring, when we accepted the referral for Abby, I was certain that God had to be calling me away from being the TD, but I could not find any peace in that decision. So I finally surrendered what seemed logical to me and said, "Ok, I don't believe your calling me away, but I have no idea how this will ever work." (He must have thought, oh ye of little faith.)

Well, my peace returned but I still set about putting plans in place in case the adoption and transition did not go smoothly...do you know, I have not had to implement one of those "Sharla-made" plans?

But I have to say, I have felt a little overwhelmed as we prepare to start class on Tuesday... I've asked a million times, "How will I ever get this all done? I'm going to be a shell when this is over? I just don't have what it takes?"

But today, as Sunday School was ending, Kathy told a wonderful personal story about God's assurance for provision in her own life circumstances and then she had us stand up and DECLARE, "The Lord is MY shepherd, I shall not want..." Again, "The Lord is MY shepherd, I shall not want!" And that's when it finally went from my head to my heart...

The Lord really is My shepherd...He has called us to adopt and He has called me to teach...I shall not want...if I just remember who my provider is, the source of my strength and rely on Him each day...

I don't know what you're facing right now if you're reading this...marriage problems, financial problems, an uncertain adoption, a difficult time with your children, illness...or maybe you're just a busy mom or dad and you just don't know how you're going to get through it all... maybe you should stand up right now and declare, "The Lord is My Shepherd, I Shall NOT Want!"