bible virsus. I saw this title so I used it bc it was approptiate

[Angel deMarco]

when I was young I was braught up in the christian faith. growing up I was resentful for many reasons but I have never turned from faith in God. I believe that God is love. thats pritty much it. in every religion it says so and proclaims to love your fellow man. I have never believed that I had some manopoly on God, because it has to be His nature to be so above human understanding that no man can ever know His intentions or reasoning. so I may be more appropriatly described as an agnostic.

Anyways, I was walking around thinking about scripture (as I am sometimes want to do) and I had an epiphany. it was regarding the verses that go:

The Lord is my shepard, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.

I never got this passage untill one day when it hit me. the Lord works in mesterious ways and we only are given what we need in his time. I have always been confused about scripture and read many religious texts when I was young in my search for God.

The epiphany was this. I had so long thought that this meant that God would give me everything I wanted ("I shall not want"), or so the scripture told me. I built up a resentment around him when this was not the case. When I first started to get clean I did everything I was told and for, all intents and purposes, I did the right thing. When I did that I was given everything I need ("the Lord is my shepard"). How I vew this now is that when I do what is right and act out of Love then I will have what I need and I will not want the things that I require for every day living.

It was a thought that I have found no venue for except here and I hope that getting it out helps at least one person and, if not, it has helped me.

[best]

You have found understanding to that verse in full measure.
Understnding comes from God. The Holy Spirit is our guide that delivers the understanding.
Before I read, I say a small prayer... Lord guide me to what You want me to learn from Your word.

When David wrote that Psalm, he was writing from the perspective of having been a shepard over the sheep. A shepard will put their life on the line for the protection of the sheep. A shepard will guide the sheep to lay down in a safe area and watch over them while they rest. He sees to their every need...not their wants. If a sheep does what it wants...it will eat posionous plants. The shepard will guide them to a place that is free of such before he brings them to rest. The wolf and lion stand by the edge of the woods but the shepard will protect the sheep. They trust the shepard that the need for safety will be there.The shepard will bring them to a place where they have shade from the noon day sun, a source of food, and water. All their needs are met. Those who are in the flock find protection from their wants...our wants are not always good for us. When we listen to the shepard, we remain safe.

[Cynay]

Thank You.......This is just what I needed to read today.