The Good Shepherd - Your Nightly Prayer

The Good Shepherd
Your Nightly Prayer for Jan. 17, 2025
by Meg Bucher

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” – Psalm 23:1 NLT

SOMETHING TO PONDER

I love …LOVE …to shop. Whether it’s dedicating a few hours to comb the thrift store for treasure or managing my online shopping carts like it’s a second job, I love being able to meet a need or satisfy a want –not just for me, but for my kids, family, friends, and community. There is so much joy in giving, especially when it’s something the receiver doesn’t see coming. This verse today reminds me that I’ll never be able to satisfy all of my needs or those around me. But just doing what I can and want to do brings me so much joy. It allows me to understand, just a tiny bit, what compels God to provide for us. 

Our Provider, He is our Shepherd. We have all that we need because of Him. Things that are tangible, yes. Everything is in my Amazon cart right now, but probably not. But sometimes, we do get to do and have extravagant things! God’s love for us is endless. Imagine that. No limit. No end. Even if we could take every trip or buy everything we want in life – it wouldn’t satisfy us. No, today’s verse reminds us that God gives us everything we need. The intangible. Healing, health, relationships, blessing, connection, wisdom, joy, peace, mercy, forgiveness …Jesus! We can’t give those things to people without God. Through Him and in Him, everything breathes and moves, including the intangibles. True joy, whether we accredit Him for it or not, comes from Him. All good things …every blessing, does. 

The rest of this Psalm continues on to comfort our souls like sherpa-lined socks on a cold winter night. Toasty warm. We don’t want to move from that warm, comfortable spot. What a blessing. That’s right …it’s all Him. Knowing what we need, never having to guess. God knows our hearts completely, so often, before we even know what to ask Him for, He is rushing in to love on us. 

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER 

Father,
The apostle John captured Jesus’ proclamation:  “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11). You anticipated every need, Father, including what was necessary for our salvation. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, met the need we never could. Thank You, God, for giving us all we need.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen. 

THREE THINGS TO PONDER

1. What do you need today?

2. What needs has God met for you today?

3. In what ways has God blessed you beyond what you need?

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/ svetikd

Meg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ at megbucher.com. She is the author of “Friends with Everyone, Friendship within the Love of Christ,” “Surface, Unlocking the Gift of Sensitivity,” “Glory Up, The Everyday Pursuit of Praise,” “Home, Finding Our Identity in Christ,” and "Sent, Faith in Motion." Meg earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay home and raise her two daughters …which led her to pursue her writing passion. A contributing writer for Salem Web Network since 2016, Meg is now thrilled to be a part of the editorial team at Salem Web Network. Meg loves being involved in her community and local church, leads Bible study, and serves as a youth leader for teen girls.

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