God's Enough

"The Lord is my Shepherd,
I shall not want."
Psalm 23:1

God cares for you AND he has the resources to meet all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus! (Philippians 4:19)  There was a time in my life when I moaned, "If Jesus is the answer, then I am in trouble because I have Jesus and I am anxious, depressed, and scared!"  I knew other things would not suffice, so then what?  I was facing memories of childhood abuse, suicidal thoughts, facing a future of constant and deep pain due to spina bifida, not being able to walk again, and being in a church that just didn't care.  A dear friend of mine taught me the priciple of "Deeper In."  Jesus is enough. Period.  If He is not meeting your needs, go deeper in.  When Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemene, He took all of His closest disciples.  Then He left them and took only three deeper in with Him.  Finally, Jesus left these three and went even deeper into the garden by Himself to be alone with God.  I went deeper in.  I spent a year in bed communing with God. Praying. Praising. Worshipping. What a wondrous year it was!  It brought healing to my soul, my body, (along with two surgeries), and to my outlook.  Jesus was enough!!!

I have counseled many ladies recently that were Christians, going to church, reading their Bibles, raising their kids in the Word, but they felt flat, unmotivated, joyless.  As they each took the challenge to go deeper in, their lives were transformed!  The Lord is my Shepherd.  The Lord that loved me, died for me, and rose agian and is waiting for me!  He is my Shepherd. 

The Lord is my Shepherd.  The One that watches over me, ever guarding me and protecting me.  He is my provider and my friend.  He carries me when I can't walk and laughs with me as I run across the fields of life! He is not even getting paid for this!  He does it out of love.  He sacrificed Himself that I might live forever with Him.   He puts joy and music in my heart.  He allows me to love and forgive others to full measure.  I shall not want.

I shall not want.  He is enough.  I may go to bed in pain, I make wake up in pain.  I may wonder how the days events will happen.  But I shall not want even in the midst.  I may go to bed hungry or lose a best friend, but I shall not want.  Jesus is enough!  Go to Him.  Go deeper in.  Read His Word and be transformed. 

God has also blessed in that I am walking!  Every step is a praise!  He comforts me in the midst of the pain.  He has provided for our needs and is blessing as we travel and speak and encourage homeschoolers around the country.  The Lord is my Shepherd.

Hint of the Day:  We do not live in an agrarian society like Israel.  They understood Jesus' reference to a Shepherd in a much more intimate way.  It is a great study.  Have your kids (or do it yourself) look up shepherding in ancient Israel.  See what the Shepherds job was and how he fulfilled it.  I know that when a lamb insisted on wandering, the shepherd would break its leg and carry it until it healed.  Then the lamb would not leave his side because the shepherd had been its protector and giver of sustenance.  David refers to this in the  51 Psalm and it can be found in Isaiah.  The shepherd also slept at the gate of the sheep pen.  No one could get to the sheep without first going through the shepherd!  "I am the door," Jesus said.  Also the sheep knew the shepherds voice and special call.  This allowed the different owners to call to their sheep to divide them out of a larger crowd.  See what else you can find out!  It is quite amazing.  The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.