What is your occupation? This was the question Pharaoh asked Joseph's brethren at their arrival into Egypt and their response being "We are shepherds, both we and our fathers" (Gen. 47:3).
This answer they gave because their trade had always been to feed cattle (Gen. 46:32-34).
This also became the assignment of Moses, one time prince of Egypt when he fled Egypt and arrived at Midian, married the priest Jethro's daughter and began to shepherd his father-in-law's flock (Ex. 3:1).
Another shepherd of note is David, the youngest son of Jesse whom his elder bigger-boy brothers left aside in the fields to take care of their father's sheep whilst some of them went on to enlist in Saul's army but David was obviously where he was supposed to be, a place of grooming in preparation to become a greater shepherd King over Isreal.
In the fields, young David took on important courses of study such as killing a lion and bear, all in a bid to prepare him for a certain Goliath which had to fall for him to stand up gallant and commence his reign over the people Isreal.
A shepherd by means of definition is someone who herds and takes care of sheep or cattle whichever the case may be and also by extension a shepherd is also the ruler or king of a people even as we have seen in David's example.
The shepherd is fully responsible for identifying proper grazing pasture for his flock, a place where they can have an avalanche to feed upon.
He is also the safest security for the sheep from external attacks, he keeps watch over them as the lions, bears and wolves of the world continually seek to devour them.
The relationship between the shepherd and the sheep builds up to an extent such that the sheep would easily identify his voice and by consequence heed his every command/ leading/ instruction meanwhile the voice of a hireling they ignore (John 10:11-14).
Jesus Christ is the great shepherd of the sheep and it is His voice that we hear and it is by His sacrifice that we can stand daily.
The devil, as a lion roams about seeking whom he may devour is not permitted to devour this sheep because our great shepherd is always with us.
Still it is His responsibility to satisfy our wants, providing all we need, Phil. 4:19 clearly reassure us of this.
As human beings, our wants are insatiable, limitless and unending but the role our great shepherd plays is to make available all we would need and glory be to GOD, our great shepherd is not a lazy or incompetent shepherd, His word says He would supply ALL OUR NEEDS.
There really isn't any much more assurance greater than this.
The confidence of supply increases and the assurance of comfort sets in . . .HALLELUYAH
Psalm 23:1, the Psalm of David, let's quickly consider here declares clearly that the Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want (You could choose to personalize it here).
Now take it from David who is a man rather vast in the art of shepherding, he would/ should know what it really takes to ensure the wants/ needs of the sheep are met.
If our shepherd were our government as it is usually in or days, then perhaps there could be doubts or if it were parents, relatives or friends that we look to for shepherding, then there is real cause for alarm because man would be man always full of inadequacies and incompetencies, no matter how devoted a man could be on your matter, the absence of the involvement of GOD would surely mean a head-long collapse in an attempt to deliver his help.
But our GOD isn't limited by any forces or circumstances, He is the Lord of all the earth (Psalm 24:1; 47:7, 1Cor. 10:26), all things and I mean all things are subject to Him (1Cor. 15:27, Heb. 2:8, Eph. 1:22), so He being the one leading, our attitude as His sheep should be that of joy, obedience and reverence.
Amongst our wants as man is a direction through life, career, marriage, ministry etc., our great shepherd guiding you settles this wants because with Him at the forefront of our lives, we just cannot go wrong as He is able to see the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:10).
He knows the purpose for our creation, so trusting Him and His leading is very much a wise decision because you eventually don't have to waste time through your life's journey as you are duly informed even before you take steps or make any decisions concerning your life.
It is ultimately the sheep that strays despite the strict guidance of the shepherd that would fall either into a ditch or into the hands of ravening wolves, but if you stay on track with his leadership, a continuous unending supply of all your wants are fulfilled such that you can confidently say "I AM NOT IN WANT".
Friends, this scripture (Psalm 23:1) has become too familiar to us that perhaps we lose its significance, teaching and reassurance that so long as the Lord is still my shepherd and I really do not intend to leave His flock, then "I SHALL NOT BE IN WANT".
No matter what the economy says, no matter the number of disappointments from prior expectations, my supply is always available. I would always have lines fall unto me in pleasant places (Psalm 16:6), my foot is always sure-footed (Psalm 18:33), I have an assurance of a good end (Jer. 29:11).
So what I would need to do would be to simply keep faith in the Lord (Heb. 11:6), knowing fully well that all I need, I would receive and even though there seems to be a delay according to my timing, I would still believe because I'm very certain that GOD is cooking up something much more better than even what my little mind had asked for (I Cor. 2:9). . . HALLELUYAH
Why not trust the good shepherd today and let Him lead you to greener pastures
GOD BLESS YOU.
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