What do I lack?
I spent all morning looking for my laptop charging cable. Well, not all morning - but about 10 minutes. It's pretty necessary for me to do my work. I can go for about 8 hours on the battery, but after that, there's no power left and the laptop is dead. Fortunately, I had a spare. So, here we go...
When we lack something, the hunt to find it can be difficult. Maybe it's something we lost like a charging cable. Maybe it's something we just thought we really needed - like a good night's sleep.
When we feel we lack something, we often think that we will not be fulfilled until we find it. (I will not sleep until I find that other laptop charger!) Fulfilment comes in having our needs filled... fulfilment.
The question is - what are our actual needs?
The very well-known Psalm 23 begins with these words:
Psalm 23:1
1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
These are very simple words but are overwhelming in their truth. If the Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Nothing.
Which means that I am fulfilled! Look at all King David says that God, his shepherd, does for him:
Psalm 23:2-3
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
He gives him rest, guidance and refreshment. David is fulfilled because of his relationship with his God, his shepherd. He is the one who oversees his life completely. No good shepherd leaves his sheep in need.
David's amazing God, our God, is the very one who came to earth to walk beside us in the flesh and fulfil our deepest needs:
John 10:11
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
God, in the flesh, Jesus, is our good shepherd, who lays down his life for us. He stands in our place to take the wrath of God, to pay the punishment for our sins, so we might live forever in a relationship with him.
Therefore, we are also able to say: "I lack nothing". Not only does our shepherd walk beside us, knowing and providing our real day-to-day needs, but he has also laid down his life for us, providing our eternal needs.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Help me to find my fulfilment in you, my good shepherd. Thank you that you walk beside me and that you have laid down your life for me. Help me to seek you each day - to have my needs met each day in my relationship with you.
Amen.