Day: September 4, 2026

Psalm 23:1 

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

David doesn’t write “the Lord is a shepherd” or “the Lord is our shepherd.” He writes “my shepherd.” This isn’t teaching recited from a distance. It’s a claim of a personal relationship.

David had been a shepherd before he was a king. He understood what it meant to walk ahead of a flock, watching for danger, leading them to water, or carrying the weak ones when they couldn’t keep up. So when he wrote “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want,” he wasn’t reaching for a good line. He was telling us what God was to him, and to us. Not a distant God, not managing from far off, but personal, present, and near.

So when circumstances feel uncertain, when the pasture looks thin, this verse invites you to stop measuring contentment by what’s in front of you and start measuring it by who is walking beside you.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for walking ahead of me. Teach me to rest in Your care instead of my circumstances.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking. 

Genesis 50:20

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” 

Joseph’s life reminds us that difficulty doesn’t get the final word. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and imprisoned unjustly, he could have surrendered to bitterness. Instead, he chose faith over despair. 

Looking back, Joseph recognized that every painful chapter became a doorway through which God accomplished His greater purpose. His story beautifully illustrates the truth behind Einstein’s observation, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Often, the opportunity isn’t immediately visible. It’s seen only by those who keep trusting God when the path is dark. 

Hope enabled Joseph to see beyond his suffering and into God’s providence. What feels unbearably heavy today may become tomorrow’s proof of God’s goodness and grace. As one wise person said “Life can only be understood looking back but must be lived looking forward.”

Prayer: Father, help me trust Your purpose through every trial, seeing hope beyond today’s difficulty.

I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.