The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. — Psalm 23:1
There was an interesting lesson that I remember learning as I went through my paramedic training. We sat in class one day, and I remember the teacher saying there are differences between wants and needs. As the lesson continued, he said that people would often have things they ask of you in the back of an ambulance. Sometimes they will ask for certain comforts. But he shared that this was not the most important thing for them.
He continued by sharing that the most important thing for anyone is their needs. He shared a story about someone who had been in a tragic accident. The person was begging for comfort and help to make the pain stop. Unfortunately, their injuries were significant, and they had major bleeding that prevented the comfort measure. He was left to decide between their want and their need.
They wanted comfort, but they didn’t realize that their true need was to save their life. They needed emergency surgery to stop the bleeding. They didn’t know that. All that the person knew was what they wanted.
There are many times in life when we have things we want. A lot of people want a lot of money. Others want certain possessions or fame. But our Shepherd knows exactly what we need. We may not even recognize our needs, but He knows our needs, and He takes care of them long before we even realize it.
I heard this verse summarized by a pastor once. He said, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I have all I’ll ever need.” That is so true! We may have all sorts of desires and wants, but our God supplies and cares for all our needs. We can take comfort in our Good Shepherd today. He is truly all we will ever need.
Across the world, there are Christians that need encouragement and strength that only God’s word can provide. We are focused on helping Christians find encouragement, develop stronger relationships with God, and help non-Christians come to accept Jesus Christ as Savior. As a non-profit ministry, Another Well Ministries relies on donations to continue our work. You can find out more about us and ways to support us here.
If you enjoy our devotionals, please consider subscribing to receive them daily.