“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” For me and perhaps even for you, there is a clear distinction between “I want” and “I need.” Wants are those things that would be nice to have, perhaps from the excess we already have acquired or from the poverty of those things we desire to have. At times, our wants are just wishful thinking, like more money, a larger room, more space or a fantastic journey, vacation, voyage, or adventure. Wants can be those things that would be nice to have like good health, a long life, great neighbors, more time. Those things that would be good and beneficial to pray for. Unfortunately, at times our wants are desires that are for the most part vices and very bad for us like ambition, success at all costs, riches that do not belong to us or material wealth that belongs to another. Sometimes our wants become unnecessary necessities, sources of unsettling obsessions, things we must or are determined to have but do not really need or our gracious Lord would be happier for you not to take, obsess over, possess, or receive. Those things that would not be helpful to you, beneficial for your health or good for your spiritual life or journey. We really don’t need to list those out. You know what you do not have, should not obtain and those things that are not good for you, your happiness, or your family. Those things you would like to have or obtain by envy, jealously, greed, stealing, badmouthing, shaming, exhortation, lying, or using your cunning malicious intent or your amazing intellectual property or your physical body, beauty, money, or strength to obtain your passionate want to satisfy your disordered desire or your unnecessary need. We can live without all those things. We can live without sin. However, we cannot live without God. We really need Him, and He should be our greatest want and ultimate desire. God, our Good Lord, our Good Savior, our Good Leader, our Good Teacher, who is also the Good Shepherd the Father has sent to tend His sheep and feed His Lambs. Jesus provides all the Father has given Him to feed, nourish, care for, heal, reconcile, and bring back to life all God’s children back into the Father’s fold and to His loving embrace. In the end, what we really want is what we really need most, the Lord. His attentiveness, His presence, His compassion, kindness, pardon, and His peace. These we need. We can’t live without Him.
