Who's Your Daddy? Part One

Does peace elude you?  Do you fret and worry?  Do you fear that you'll fail, that God is not pleased with you, that you're not good enough, won't have enough, aren't holy enough to earn God's favor, receive answers to your prayers or enjoy a miracle from Him?  Do you feel unworthy or beaten down?  Are you tired of running on the endless treadmill of performance? 

Take a slow walk with me through Psalm 23 as we go verse by verse in a six-part series.  We'll stop along the way, search out meanings, meditate on each word, notice every detail, just as one would  notice details in the beauty of nature in a walk through a woods. 

Today we'll do verse one: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall  not want."  With the Holy Spirit's help, we'll meditate on the truth, using also Strong's Concordance and Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary and some internet research as aids:

The Lord:  Not just any person; not your earthly father, not the Pope, not your pastor, not religious tradition or the world's wisdom, but your Father, the Creator and Ruler of the Universe, Who holds everything together by the word of His power, and your Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  (If indeed you have declared Him to be your Lord and Savior according to Romans 10:9-10.  If you have not done this, stop, get a Bible, read what God says, and do it now; surrender your pride, become as a little child and with humility, receive forgiveness of all your sin.  There's no better feeling than to be made right with God through Jesus!  God says today is the day of salvation.)

Is:  Not maybe.  He has committed Himself to be your Shepherd.  He will never decide not to be your Shepherd.

My: He's personal.  He's for you.  Yours.  To have and to hold forever!

Shepherd:  One who tends sheep; a pastor.  One who guards; is responsible for their provision and health.  He lays down his life for the sheep by defending them against predators, as David in the Bible killed a lion and a bear by tearing their jaws apart.  He provides food for them.

I:  Again, it's personal.  Don't think of others right now; this is for you.

Shall not:  Won't.  Will not.  No ifs, ands or buts. This is God's Word to you.  (I think of the verse in Hebrews 13:5b-6, "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'  So we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?"  (New King James)

Want:  Means to lack, decrease, fail, be abated, bereave, make lower, waste away, lose what I have of value.  God's promises will not fail.  Dare to believe that.  He always makes provision for us.  I think of the Scripture in Philippians 4:19 that says, "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." 

I hope you are beginning to see more of how much God loves you.  "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love Him because He first loved us."  I John 4:18-19 (New King James)  In the church, we have been taught so much, I think, to focus on "how much do I love God?" rather than on "how much God loves me."  Hmm.  Now there's some food for thought.

As you focus more and more on God's love for you personally, fear is driven out.  Dare to let yourself rest on God's grace, His marvelous, great love! 

Next post, we'll meditate on verse 2.

Copyright © 2012 Elaine Beachy