PSALM 23 ! I SHALL NOT WANT !!

WHAT A PROUD, POSOTIVE   BOLD STATEMENT TO MAKE.  OBVIOUSLY,  THIS IS THE STATEMENT OF A SHEEP UTTERLY SATISFIED WITH ITS OWNER,  PERFECTLY CONTENT WITH ITS LOT IN LIFE.. SINCE THE LORD IS  MY SHEPHERD,  THEN I SHALL NOT WANT" ACTUALLY THE WORD "WANT" AS USED HERE, HAS A BROADER MEANING THAN MIGHT AT FIRST BE IMAGINE. NO DOUBT THE MAIN CONCEPT IS THAT  OF A LONG NOT LACKING NOT OF NOTNING f. THIS MAY SEEM A STRANGE STATEMENT FOR A MAN LIKE DAVID TO HAVE MADE IF WE THING IN TERMS ONLY OF PHYSICAL OR MATERIAL NEEDS,AFTER ALL HE HAD BEEN HOUNDED AND HARRIED REPEATEDLY BY FORCES OF HIS ENEMY SAUL AS WELL AS THOSE OF HIS OWN EXTRANGED SON ABSALOM. HE WAS OBVIOUSLY A MAN WHO HAD KNOW INTENSE PRIVATION: THEREFORE IT IS ABSURD TO ASSERT ON THE BASIC OF THIS STATEMENT THAT THE CHILD OF GOD,  THE SHEEP IN THE  SHEPHERD'S CARE,  WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE LACK OR NEED.. IT IS IMPERATIVE TO KEEP A BALANCE VIEW OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. TO DO THIS  IT IS WELL CONSIDER THE CAREERS  OF MAN LIKE ELIJAH,  JOHN THE BAPTIST,  OUR LORD HIMSELF AND EVEN  MODERN MEN OF  FAITH SUCH AS LIVINGSTONE TO REALIZE THAT ALL OF THEM EXPERIENCED GREAT PERSONAL PRIVATION AND ADVERSITY. ..THE LORD WARNED  HIS DISCIPLES  BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE TO BE OF GOOD CHEER I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD, BLESSING S OF GOD  UPON OUR LIVES.  THIS SIMPLE IS NOT SO.  IN BOLD CONTRAST WE READ IN REVELATION 3:17, BASED ON THE TEACHING OF THE BIBLE  WE CAN  ONLY CONCLUDE THAT DAVID WAS REFERRING TO MATERIAL OR PHYSICAL POVERTY WHEN HE MADE THE STATEMENT I SHALL NOT WANT !!!AS I MOVED AMONG MEN AND WOMEN FROM ALL STRATA OF SOCIETY AS BOTH A NURSE, MAKE UP ARTIST TO THE STARS AND AS LAY PASTOR I HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY AWARE OF ONE THING.  IT IS THE BOSS,  THE MANAGER THE MASTER IN PEOPLE'S LIVES WHO MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR DESTINY.  I HAVE KNOWN SOME OF THE WEALTHIEST MEN AND WOMEN ON THIS CONTINENT INTIMATELY ALSO SOME LEAFING SUsRGEON,  AND MOVIES PRODUCER.  DESPITE THIS DAZZLING OUTWARD SHOW OF SUCCESS, DESPITE THEIR DAZZLING OUTWARD SHOW , THEIR PRESTIGE THEY REMAINED  POOR IN THEIR SPIRIT,  SHRIVELLED IN SOUL, AND UNHAPPY LIVES.  THEY WERE JOYLESS PEOPLE HELD UN THE IRON GRIP AND HEARTLESS OWNER SHIP OF THE WRONG MASTER, NO WONDER JESUS SAID I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD, THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVE TH HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP.  AND AGAIN " I COME THAT YE MIGHT HAVE LIFE AND MORE YE MIGHT HAVE LIFE  MORE ABUNDANTLY. FROM EVENGLIST DAWN UNTIL LATE  AT NIGHT THIS UTTERLY SELF-LESS SHEPHERD IS ALERT TO THE WELFARE OF HIS FLOCK...THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD I SHALL NOT WANT !!!