What I See I Am
I SHALL NOT WANT.
There are four key words in this phrase of the affirmation, Psalm 23.
"I", the single most personal descriptive term. "I" has absolute meaning. "I" encapsulates the whole essence of the person using the affirmation.
"SHALL", is the term used for absolute, as opposed to, will, or can, or should. "SHALL", is a command, an acknowledgment of that which is.
"NOT", is the cleanser, it makes what ever it precedes pure.
"WANT", this is the absolute gift as described by "Shall" and "Not" that describes God's responsibility to us as the "Shepherd".
"I SHALL NOT WANT."
We must be on guard not to confuse wishing with wanting. The Psalm says I shall not "want." The meaning is that if we declare in our hearts and minds that the Lord is our shepherd we will not need for anything.
Wanting for something and "I want something." are two different statements of condition. The first, wanting for something is a need for our life. The second, "I want something." is more in the form of a wish.
Many of us wish to be winners of a large monetary drawing or lottery. This "wanting" falls in the category of wishing. If we really want it we should create a need for it. To wish, so we could give away the money, or go on a trip, or buy something which is not essential in our minds is not covered in this Psalm.
We are the shepherd of our wants. We have a mental plan for our wants. It is called living. We formulate our lives with our wants. An example could be our income and living with in it. Each of us as individuals express different needs, "wants." A person with a $20,000 income has different "wants" (needs) than a person with a $100,000 income. Each is legitimate and each is satisfied at the moment.
Since we are the shepherd of our wants we can change them. In order to do that we have to prepare our selves to be able to handle God's answer to our wants. We can do that by writing down exactly how we would put the gift from God to use in our lives. We begin to create a need. After writing our "wants/needs" down then we must incorporate them into our daily thoughts, not as wishes but as actual possessions of the mind and spirit.
To incorporate our "wants/needs" into our daily life, we must review them daily and as our circumstances change, then our "wants/needs" will change. They should be reflected in our "want/need" writing.
We have no right to limit God's care of our "wants" to one source, such as a lottery,
sweep-
We have no right to complain about changing circumstances. In order to move from one level of life to another there has to be change. When we are in change, we must always trust God. Change means something better is coming. Without change we cannot enjoy a change in our wants. If we are comfortable in our present circumstances we will balk at change, even as we ask for it.
We need to prepare ourselves for the change we want with a plan, a very specific plan. The point of the Twenty Third Psalm is our relationship to God, Body, Mind and Spirit and God's relationship to us. The Psalm is an affirmation of that which is.
The Twenty Third Psalm
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He
leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths
of righteousness for His name' sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil:
For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table
before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup
runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell
in the House of the Lord forever.
What I see I Am
Copyright Ronald O. Masters II, 2010 All Rights Reserved Copying is permitted if the author is credited.
