THE TAKEAWAY:

I Shall Not Want: Trusting in the giver’s promises over the gift.

MESSAGE:

Sometimes, game developers are not very good at setting realistic expectations for their new games. When the game No Man’s Sky by Hello Games was announced to gamers, they thought they were getting infinite adventures across millions of planets, endless gameplay, and creative options. When the game was released, gamers were shocked to find that nothing was provided as described. The game owners swore up and down on social media, sent threats, and cursed the company into oblivion. Fortunately, the company turned the game into a much better experience with updates, but they lost a lot of trust from their fans by failing to provide.

When it comes to riches, goods, and conveniences, our culture far surpasses the people of the Bible. Sure, they had gold, fine linens, precious stones, and delicacies, but did any of them have a PS5, a fridge with a smart screen, or an app that delivers groceries? I don’t think our modern culture could survive in those times. But, even with the lack of luxuries, God’s followers needed to guard themselves against greed.

The goal of Christians living in a land with so much to give is contentment, and one of the best examples of that is King David’s Psalm 23. King David doesn’t focus on the gift but on the Giver. He doesn’t know how much food, water, or rest he’ll get in the future, but he’s very confident that God cares about those things and provides them. When David says “Yahweh is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing,” he means “God is my main provider of everything I need; I don’t need to search elsewhere.”

Can we begin our journey toward contentment here? As we build confidence in God as a caring and generous provider, we can trust His distribution of resources and timing. When we view possessing necessities as a competition, race, or survival challenge, we focus on what we can acquire. Read Psalm 23 and reflect on David’s confidence that God meets him at EVERY need.

FIGURE IT OUT:

Yahweh is my shepherd;
I shall lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil.
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever.

Psalm 23

  1. Circle some keywords or phrases that are significant to you. What makes them important?
  2. How does God provide for David when he isn’t there physically to deliver food, water, and rest? (I assume God was not a butler readily waiting on David)
  3. How can we be content like David even when food, water, and rest is not available when we want it?
  4. What sort of necessities do you worry about and how can trusting God help with your contentment?

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