More Than Enough
The most famous and often-quoted of the Psalms begins, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
That's cool for David, I guess. But when I take stock of my own life, I see a jam-packed calendar that left me unprepared for a few assignments last week. I see a bank account balance torpedoed by the first tuition payment of the semester. I see a 6'2", 160lb toothpick in the mirror. I see my "mom car" out in the parking lot. And ya know what?
I want!
I want 25 hours in a day, and 8 days in a week, and a secretary to make sure I never forget things. I want a nice fat scholarship. I want 20 extra pounds of muscle, and I really, really, really want a 350Z. Or a Honda. Or a diesel rabbit, for that matter. Anything but the mom car!
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
I picture King David writing those words. David didn't want, because there really wasn't anything he could possibly want. David had it all!
"The Lord is my shepherd, who gives me all the hookups. I have wealth, health, youth, charm, good looks, and a whole nation I get to boss around. Of course I don't want!"
I grumble. "God, what’s wrong with you? How come you won’t be a good shepherd and give me all that stuff?"
Silence.
But is that really how it was for David?
I erase the mental image of King David with one of Boy David. A shepherd, the youngest of seven sons, working a dead end job in the middle of nowheresville.
"The Lord is my shepherd, who satisfies me in the most unenviable of circumstances. I no longer need to want."
I sigh. "God, what's wrong with me? Why am I so different from David?"
Silence.
I don't have the answer key, the magic formula, the as-seen-on-tv life fixer machine. This is the real world; not all Christians have dinner on the table or a roof over their heads tonight. And those who have food and shelter are busy fretting about their lack of money, lack of a boyfriend or girlfriend, lack of a good job, lack of a 350Z, or any of millions of other things. In some way or another, we all want.
To be continued...
That's cool for David, I guess. But when I take stock of my own life, I see a jam-packed calendar that left me unprepared for a few assignments last week. I see a bank account balance torpedoed by the first tuition payment of the semester. I see a 6'2", 160lb toothpick in the mirror. I see my "mom car" out in the parking lot. And ya know what?
I want!
I want 25 hours in a day, and 8 days in a week, and a secretary to make sure I never forget things. I want a nice fat scholarship. I want 20 extra pounds of muscle, and I really, really, really want a 350Z. Or a Honda. Or a diesel rabbit, for that matter. Anything but the mom car!
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
I picture King David writing those words. David didn't want, because there really wasn't anything he could possibly want. David had it all!
"The Lord is my shepherd, who gives me all the hookups. I have wealth, health, youth, charm, good looks, and a whole nation I get to boss around. Of course I don't want!"
I grumble. "God, what’s wrong with you? How come you won’t be a good shepherd and give me all that stuff?"
Silence.
But is that really how it was for David?
I erase the mental image of King David with one of Boy David. A shepherd, the youngest of seven sons, working a dead end job in the middle of nowheresville.
"The Lord is my shepherd, who satisfies me in the most unenviable of circumstances. I no longer need to want."
I sigh. "God, what's wrong with me? Why am I so different from David?"
Silence.
I don't have the answer key, the magic formula, the as-seen-on-tv life fixer machine. This is the real world; not all Christians have dinner on the table or a roof over their heads tonight. And those who have food and shelter are busy fretting about their lack of money, lack of a boyfriend or girlfriend, lack of a good job, lack of a 350Z, or any of millions of other things. In some way or another, we all want.
To be continued...
posted by Life on Wry at 11:49 AM
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