The Psalmist's Desire.

Sometimes, things just happen when you don't expect it the most.

After pondering those lines of verses*, I turned the pages of my Bible to Psalm 23. I read the whole chapter and read it again for the second time and finished it. I thought to myself that reading the chapter will be enough to make myself encouraged. All I thought was what I have understood before about the whole chapter all these years is all that I can get again at that moment.

But it became different this time.

I started to read the chapter again. But at this time, I spoke it.

"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want."

Suddenly, I stopped. I was supposed to continue to read the following lines but something sparked in me at the second phrase that caught my attention. I was led to focus on the word "want" and revelation just kicked in.

Most of us have understood that this verse is always referred in the area of need. The term "want" in the Greek word is synonymous with "lack". No wonder why this verse is comprehended and utilized as a declaration of faith in that aspect. Well, David came out to declare this phrase because that is how he pictures God ministering to him and it was the type of his occupation as a young boy back then. Delving further, such revelation has led me to extract the verse which has shown me something interesting to be deciphered as I've read it on a different angle.

The dictionary in our house defines "want" as "lack" which I've expected to come out. And the second meaning simply means "desire". This time, we will equate "want" with the word "desire".

Have you ever came to a point wherein you have to choose between something you wanted to do and something you had to do (because it was just necessary)?** Many people are doing what they need to do. Others are inclined to do what they want. Accountable people set aside the things they want to do so they can do those things that are needed to do. It takes sacrifice to take such action to be applied in a particular situation but to make a response be a part of their everyday lives. Which is a good thing.

But only special people take the higher road. These are those people who have found what they want to do and pursue for it, unyielding to the present circumstances around them and not succumbing themselves to the pressure of the immediate knowing that as they follow their hearts (being led by God) in doing what they want to do, it brings full satisfaction in their lives which will be their ultimate. They figured it out that what they wanted to do can cover and follow what needs to be done.

And from that idea, I understand why David was tagged as a man after God's own heart. Because aside from the fact that he will be well-fed by his Shepherd, he had made himself desired to have God and his guidance and be content with it. Let me expound this further. 

As David embraced fully in His life that the Shepherd is all that He need, he convinced himself that he will never be in want. Of what? (Take note that we'll equate want with desire). 

Of the things that can deviate him from God and His guidance. One of the primary things the Shepherd does to the sheepfold is to guide them. And He appreciated it a lot.

As if He was saying, "You are my Shepherd. I shall not want anything but only You and what you do in my life. I shall not want anything but You and your utmost guidance. I am contented with that." And it speaks a picture of great intimacy. God's guidance is what David had desired. And for him, that was enough. Actually, more than enough.

He didn't made himself be moved by those things that other people think was necessary for Him to do. He just wanted to do what He desired. Take note of the account when the Israelites carried the Ark of the Covenant to his city from the house of Obed-Edom. No wonder when Michal, Saul's daughter, rebuked David as she saw him danced shamelessly (to the point that he uncovered himself) before the Ark, he just brushed her off.*** In the following passages, he justified his action to her as he wants to do it coming from his heart. For he yearned to follow his desire to respond to God rather than making himself conform with the necessities that other people expects, or much to say, demands him to do. What he wanted to do has led him eventually to do what's necessary.

He wanted the guidance of the Shepherd rather than the opportunities and the enticements that his circumstances and his environment demands to him. And the removal of the things that He wanted to have in this earth has been surpassed with the contentment that came from the result of desiring to be more intimate with God. And that settled him.

Truly indeed, making the Lord our Shepherd, we will not want anything that will remove us from His leading. We will not desire things that can distract us from being intimate with Him. We will not want anything but only His guidance. And that brings contentment in our lives.

As we have God, we will not want to be swayed by the mundane inclinations of this world for we yearn and long to live out His fullness in us. As we have His guidance we will not desire to be on the outside of His will. As we have His leading, we will not want ourselves to be frustrated and disappointed knowing that He feeds us hope and He will show us His way. And see our lives living in the eyes of faith.

No wonder why David became contented with His life. He never yearned anything of this world but only the guidance of God. This desire has brought him contentment which has given him the confidence and assurance to say that He will never be in want. And no wonder why he became so bold to continue to say the preceding verses.

To my surprise, I lately realized, I got stucked at the first verse for good. And from that, I came to this thought. We can appreciate and see the relevance of our God as a good Shepherd of our souls if we'll always want and desire Him to lead our lives. And God will always respond to that. As He guides us, he'll show us the necessary things that we need to do in life as we constantly desire and acknowledge Him, and let Him intervene, not only at some, but in all life's aspects.

Let me end with this statement. The verse doesn't limit itself to make it only referred to the area of need. It speaks as well of a resultant satisfaction and contentment that we can affirm in ourselves and we can have in Him as we fully say, believe, and understand the phrase in its another angle, and receive the benefits of how it is to be guided by the Great Shepherd.

*Philippians 4:19 & Matthew 6:25-34

**Excerpts from the short story "Dead Stars" authored by Paz Marquez Benitez taught by my college teacher. This is one of those good short stories I've liked when I was a college student back then. Credits to Ms. Kristina Malicdim.

***2 Samuel 6:1-23.