"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." – Psalm 23:1(MEV)
All of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are told that God will provide all that we need, but why is it that many of us suffer from lack? If God graciously provides all that we need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus, then why is it that many of us Christians appear poor or needy?
It's because we haven't really tapped into God's economy where, like David, we will be able to say "I shall not want."
Wanting
All of us want something. It's perfectly normal to desire something we like. It's normal to desire a good life, a nice house, an abundant supply of food at the dining table, and a nice collection of clothes. And yes, it's perfectly normal to want to be happy.
One thing that hinders us from receiving the things we want, however, is that we are longing for the wrong things, for the wrong purposes. Even if we keep praying hard for something that we desperately like, we won't receive it because we ask the wrong things.
"...Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure." (see James 4:2-3 NLT)
It's Not About What You Ask
Moreover, friends, it's not about what we ask for. It's about why we ask for it. In Matthew 6, the Lord Jesus gives us the key to tapping into God's Kingdom economy, the economy where every child of God is provided for.
"Therefore, take no thought, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' (For the Gentiles seek after all these things.) For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you." (Matthew 6:31-33 MEV)
Friends, it's easy to enter God's economy. If we are in Christ, we are already His children, and if we are His children, we are already blessed with all that we need (see Ephesians 1:3). In fact, all the good that God has in His hands is available for us anytime! (see Luke 15:31; Psalm 84:11)
Pursue The Right Things
Friends, we must realise that while God can give us pretty much anything we can ever think of asking Him for, what matters to Him is the reason why we ask. Are we seeking Him and His Kingdom first? Are we prioritising Him and His priorities ahead of our own?
Better yet, have we abandoned our selfish and worldly desires, and pursued God our Father instead? Seeking Him above all is the key to enter His economy. Let's do it right.
