That’s All I Want!

by Crystal Bowman

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Psalm 23:1-3 NKJV

I heard the story of a young girl who had worked hard to memorize Psalm 23. When she was sure she could quote it from memory, she was eager to share it in her Sunday School class. With as much confidence as she could muster, she stood up and began reciting the passage. In her best voice she said, “The Lord is my shepherd—that’s all I want.”

Though humorous and sweet, that statement is packed with truth! And sometimes I need to ask myself, “Is God all I want?”

There is nothing wrong with wanting a nice home, a loving family, and purpose in our lives. We work hard to achieve those things. However, in everything we do and everything we seek, we need to keep God at the center of our lives. This is more than just putting Him first. Going to church, reading the Bible, and praying should not be a segment of our lives. If we are to live fully and completely, with undivided hearts, then God will be the central figure in everything.

King David’s first occupation was that of a shepherd, and he deeply understood the relationship between a shepherd and his flock. It’s from his experience in the fields that he penned Psalm 23, the most well-known psalm in the Bible. Just as a shepherd lovingly and sacrificially cares for his sheep, God cares for His people, the sheep of His pasture. He provides for us and protects us. He leads us and guides us. He continually pours out His goodness and love upon us. He laid down His life for us. And if one of His sheep goes astray, He will search for it until He finds it. Then He carries it in His arms and brings it home (See Matthew 18:11 – 14).

When we need direction in our lives, God is our guide. In times of sorrow—when our grief and pain are greater than we can bear—He is our comfort. When we are weak and frail, God is our strength—the rock we can cling to. God is our hope when we are discouraged and can’t see past tomorrow. He gives us rest when we are weary and burdened. He gives us peace when we are troubled and anxious. He gives us joy in the midst of our circumstances. He gives us forgiveness when we confess our sins. And God invites us to give Him all our cares and worries so He can replace our troubled hearts and minds with His grace and mercy.

Only God can meet all our needs all the time. If we belong to His pasture, we will be in need of nothing.

May the Lord our Shepherd be all that we need and all that we want.

This article is brought to you by the Advance Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Crystal Bowman is a bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 books including, Our Daily Bread for Kids. She and her husband have three married children and eight huggable grandchildren.

When a child’s grandparent or great-grandparent is afflicted with dementia, it’s difficult to explain the disease in a way that helps the child understand why the person they love is not the same. I Love You to the Stars–When Grandma Forgets, Love Remembers, is a picture book inspired by a true story to help young children understand that even though Grandma is acting differently, she still loves them–to the stars!

Join the conversation. What do you want?

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