I Shall Not Want – Stepping in the Light

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1

David opens what is probably the most familiar of all of the psalms with a declaration of faith in God; “I shall not want.” The word want here means lack. In other words, David is saying, “Because the Lord is my shepherd, I will never be lacking,” or, “I will never be in want.” David is not saying that he will never have a desire for anything that he does not have; he is saying that he has confidence that God will always provide the things that he needs. David was not focusing on the greatness of the stockpile of things that God had given him, but rather on the endless nature of God’s supply. David was saying, “I will not lack because God is my shepherd, He is the one Who takes care of me, and His store of blessings will never run out.”

This attitude is one that every child of God should display. Once we are able to believe that God will meet our needs, we can begin to let go of the long list of things that we desire to have. God wants us to be content with what He gives us and confident that He will take care of us. This kind of thinking strengthens the connection that we feel to God in our daily lives, and that is something that is very important to our Heavenly Father. The Ten Commandments forbid us from coveting (wanting/desiring) the things that other people have. God wants us to view the things that we have as being given to us directly from His hand. Can you say that He is your Shepherd? Do you feel that His power and love are so great that He can and will supply all of your needs?

Morning: Psalms 23-25

Evening: Acts 21:18-40

About This Site

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

If you were to find yourself walking down a path in the dark of night with only an old-fashioned lantern to light the way, you wouldn’t be able to see very far ahead. You would be able to see just enough of the pathway to know which direction to take your next step and enough of the ground to choose the best place for your feet. When it comes to our daily lives, God’s Word is a lot like that lantern. It will not show us the whole path at once, but it is exactly what we need to help us decide how to take the next step.

The Bible is our source of spiritual light, and if we consistently seek God’s direction as we read from its pages, we will always have enough light for our next step along the pathway of life. It is then that we are, in the words of an old gospel song, “stepping in the light.”

The goal of this devotional guide is to encourage you to spend time in the Word of God each day. Reading the passages listed at the bottom of the page will take you all the way through the Bible in one year. The devotional thought for each day is taken from a text within that day’s reading, so even that small daily portion of reading will take you on a journey through God’s Word. It is my prayer that this guide would help you to walk closer to the Lord and that you will find yourself taking each step in the light of His Word.