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Psalm 23 - Ben
Sermon Summary
Ben emphasises that trusting in the Lord as our shepherd leads to a life of contentment and abundance, where we lack nothing, by surrendering our desires and recognising His provision and presence in every aspect of our lives.
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We live in a world that constantly tells us we are lacking—always needing more, always chasing after the next thing that promises satisfaction. From advertisements to social media, the message is clear: you don’t have enough, and you won’t be happy until you get it. This deep ache for “just a little bit more” is not new; it’s woven into the human condition, stretching all the way back to Adam and Eve. Yet, Psalm 23 opens with a radical declaration: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” These eight words invite us to imagine a life where contentment is not found in accumulation, but in relationship—with the Shepherd who provides, leads, restores, and protects.
The challenge is to truly believe and live as if God is our Shepherd. If we feel we are lacking, perhaps we have allowed something or someone else to shepherd us—our careers, our possessions, our own ambitions. But the Good Shepherd is the one who leads us to rest, who refreshes our souls, who walks with us through the darkest valleys, who prepares a table for us even in the presence of our enemies, who anoints us with honor, holiness, and healing, and whose goodness and love pursue us all our days.
To live a life without lack is not to deny our needs or struggles, but to recognize that in God’s presence, we have everything we truly need. This is the “good life” Jesus came to offer—a life marked by peace, joy, humble confidence, satisfaction, and love, even when the world insists we are missing out. The key is not striving for more, but surrendering to the Shepherd, daily placing ourselves in His care, and trusting that He knows and provides exactly what we need.
David’s confidence in Psalm 23 was rooted in his nearness to the Shepherd. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, invites us to know His voice, to dwell in His presence, and to surrender our restless striving. In doing so, we discover the abundance and sufficiency that only He can give. Whatever it is you feel you lack, bring it to Him—He is faithful, and in Him, you truly lack nothing.
Key Takeaways
1. The World Sows Discontentment, but God Offers Sufficiency
Our culture is built on convincing us that we are always missing something, fuelling a cycle of dissatisfaction and striving. Yet, the declaration of Psalm 23 confronts this lie: in God, we lack nothing. True sufficiency is not found in what we possess, but in who possesses us—our Shepherd, who knows and provides for our every need.
2. Who or What Is Your Shepherd?
The sense of lack in our lives often reveals who or what we are truly following. If we are restless, anxious, or constantly striving, it may be because we have allowed something other than God to shepherd us. The invitation is to examine our hearts and return to the Good Shepherd, who alone leads us to rest, refreshment, and right paths.
3. God’s Presence Is the Source of a Life Without Lack
The abundant life is not about the absence of trouble or the accumulation of things but about the presence of God. When we daily surrender to the Shepherd, we experience His peace, joy, and provision—even in the midst of chaos or uncertainty. The “good life” is found in nearness to Him, not in chasing after more.
4. Surrender Is the Pathway to Contentment
Living as if “the Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing” requires a daily act of surrender—letting go of our attempts to shepherd ourselves and trusting God with our needs, desires, and dreams. Contentment grows as we release our grip on what we think we lack and rest in the Shepherd’s care, knowing He is faithful to provide.
5. The Good Shepherd Invites Us to Bring Our Lack to Him
Jesus knows our hearts and our unmet desires. He invites us to bring our sense of lack, our dissatisfaction, and our longing to Him, trusting that He alone can satisfy. In His presence, we are honoured, made holy, healed, and pursued by goodness and love all our days.
Daily Hope Devotionals
Day 1: The Lord is My Shepherd—A Life Without Lack
Scripture:
Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
https://www.biblegateway.com/p...
To live a life without lack is to truly believe and trust that God, as our Shepherd, provides everything we need. The world constantly tries to convince us that we are missing something, that we need more to be satisfied, but Psalm 23 begins with a radical declaration: “The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.” This truth challenges the deep ache within us that always wants more, inviting us to rest in the sufficiency of God’s care and provision. When we embrace God as our Shepherd, we can let go of striving and discontentment, finding peace and contentment in His presence and provision.
Reflection:
What is one area of your life where you feel a sense of lack or discontentment? Take a moment today to bring that specific longing to God and ask Him to help you trust in His sufficiency as your Shepherd.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for being my Good Shepherd who leads me beside still waters and restores my soul. Help me to trust in Your provision and guidance, knowing that in Your presence, I lack nothing. Teach me to surrender my desires and fears, and to rest confidently in Your care. May I always recognise Your voice and follow You wholeheartedly. Amen.
Day 2: Who Is Your Shepherd?—Choosing Whom to Follow
Scripture:
Psalm 23:2-4
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
https://www.biblegateway.com/p...
Devotional:
Every day, we are faced with the choice of who or what will shepherd us—whether it’s our own ambitions, the voices of culture, or the Good Shepherd Himself. The one we allow to guide us shapes our experience of peace, rest, and direction. When we let God lead, He brings us to green pastures, still waters, and right paths, even through the darkest valleys. But when we follow other “shepherds,” we find ourselves restless, anxious, and striving. The invitation is to examine who truly leads our lives and to intentionally surrender to the One who knows us, loves us, and provides for us.
Reflection:
Who or what have you been allowing to shepherd your decisions and desires lately? What would it look like to intentionally let God lead you today?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the true Shepherd who knows me and calls me by name. Forgive me when I look to other things or people to satisfy my deepest needs. Help me to see You as the one who makes me holy, heals me, and anoints me with Your love. May I find my identity and security in You alone, trusting that Your goodness and love will follow me all my days. Amen.
Day 3: The Good Shepherd’s Abundant Care
Scripture:
Psalm 23:5-6
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
https://www.biblegateway.com/p...
Devotional:
God’s care for us is not just sufficient—it is abundant, overflowing, and deeply personal. He prepares a table for us even in the presence of our enemies, anoints us with oil to honour, heal, and set us apart, and causes our cup to overflow. This is not a promise of an easy life, but of a life marked by God’s presence, favour, and love, even in the midst of challenges. When we recognise the ways God honours, heals, and sets us apart, we can live with confidence and gratitude, knowing we are deeply valued by Him.
Reflection:
In what ways have you experienced God’s abundant care or blessing recently, even in difficult circumstances? How can you express gratitude for His overflowing goodness today?
Prayer:
Gracious God, I want to live the abundant life You offer—peaceful, joyful, and confident despite life's uncertainties. Teach me to dwell in Your presence daily, to experience Your fullness, and to believe that I truly lack nothing when I am with You. Help me to surrender my striving and rest in Your provision, so that my actions reflect my trust in You as my Shepherd. Amen.
Day 4: Surrendering to the Presence of the Good Shepherd
Scripture:
John 10:14-15
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
https://www.biblegateway.com/p...
Devotional:
The experience of a life without lack is rooted in daily surrender to the presence of God. It is only when we submit our lives—our desires, resources, and dreams—to the Good Shepherd that we find true satisfaction and rest. This surrender is not a one-time event but a daily posture, choosing to trust God’s leadership and provision over our own striving.
Reflection:
What is one specific area of your life you need to surrender to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, today? What step can you take to place that area under His care? Living the Good Life—Contentment in God’s Presence
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I often stray and try to shepherd myself, seeking fulfilment in things that cannot satisfy. I ask for Your forgiveness and Your gentle guidance back to Your loving arms. Thankyou that this is Your deep desire for me. Amen.
Day 5: Embracing His Guidance and Presence
Scripture:
John 10:27
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
https://www.biblegateway.com/p...
Devotional:
In his sermon, Ben emphasises the importance of recognising and following the voice of our Shepherd, Jesus. When we truly listen and follow Him, we experience a life of peace, purpose, and fulfilment. As we draw near to Jesus, the Good Shepherd who knows us and calls us by name, we discover the abundant life He promises, free from the endless pursuit of “more.”
Reflection:
Today, take a moment to quiet your heart and listen for His voice. Ask Jesus to lead you along the right paths. Trust that as His sheep, you are known and loved, and that following Him will lead you to a life of abundance and peace.
Prayer:
Good Shepherd, restore my soul and help me to dwell in Your presence, trusting that Your goodness and love will follow me all my days. Amen.
Day 6: Trusting in God’s Provision
Scripture:
Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
https://www.biblegateway.com/p...
Devotional:
When we see God as our Shepherd, we can live with confidence that we lack nothing, even though the world tries to convince us that we need more and more money, more time, more possessions, to be truly satisfied. But Philippians 4:19 assures us that God is our Provider, and He will meet all our needs. Living without lack begins with trusting that His riches in glory are enough for us.
Reflection:
Today, choose to surrender your worries about what you lack. Trust that God, as your Shepherd, will supply what you truly need—whether it's peace, strength, or provision. Rest in His promises and live with humble confidence, knowing you are cared for by the One who owns everything.
Prayer:
Father, I pray that my life would be one of gratitude and contentment, recognising the richness of Your grace to me. May I never forget Your unending love, and that You generously give good gifts to Your children. Amen.
Day 7: Living the Good Life—Contentment in God’s Presence
Scripture:
Philippians 4:11-13
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
https://www.biblegateway.com/p...
Devotional:
True contentment and the “good life” are found not in possessions or achievements, but in living close to the Shepherd, dwelling in His presence. When we make our home with God, we experience peace, joy, and satisfaction that the world cannot offer. This life draws others in, radiates love and hospitality, and points people to the Shepherd who provides all we need. The invitation is to return to God’s presence daily, trusting that His goodness and love will pursue us all our days.
Reflection:
How can you intentionally dwell in God’s presence today—perhaps through prayer, worship, or stillness—and allow His contentment to fill your heart, regardless of your circumstances?
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, I bring before You the desires and unmet needs that fill my heart. Help me to surrender these to You, trusting that You know what I truly need. Fill me with Your peace and remind me that in Your presence, I lack nothing. Guide me to live with humble confidence and an open heart. Amen.
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