Lenten Devotional (25) and Frank Sinatra

We Shall Not Want

When Jesus came to Jerusalem, he came as a Shepherd/King. His triumphal entry hymn is the hymn of David (Ps. 118:26): “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Jesus is the new David coming to Jerusalem to give his life for the sake of his people. He is the true Shepherd of Israel (Ps. 80:1).

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

When the psalmist says, “You shall not want,” it’s not a promise that we shall never lack materially, rather it’s a promise that Israel’s shepherd will give his entire body for the sake of his people. Jesus gives himself entirely at the cross, meaning our salvation lacks nothing.

We are not like the pagans wanting or needing to atone for ourselves through worthless sacrifices; no. We are true Israel covered and protected by the total Christ. We shall not want.

Prayer: Blessed Christ who gave himself for us on a tree and atoned for our sins, we praise your name and beseech you in times of trial. Teach us your ways and conquer our hearts daily so we may truly know that we lack nothing. We pray this in the Name of our great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, amen.

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Notations

*My third episode responding to Gary DeMar is now available. In this episode, I offer a brief sketch of Satan’s progressive defeat in history, showing that such a final defeat could not have happened in the first century but is dependent on a longer historical model that accentuates the defeat of the devil and progressively builds on his humiliation. #You can subscribe for $1 a month for subscriber-only podcasts.

**Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry the cross beam during Jesus’ journey to Golgotha. God sometimes compels us to forsake our desires for a greater one, his cruciform service.

***My five-minute summary of postmillennialism.

****When Israel, Dan, and I flew to the moon: