Psalm 73:25, 26 - Christ Is Our All In All.
Psalm 73:25, 26 - Christ Is Our All In All.
Psalm 73:25-26 (NLT) Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you
more than anything on earth. 26 My health may fail, and my spirit may
grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine
forever.
INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW
There is no one in heaven who can be compared with God. No one
"can be to me what God is" (Barnes)... God is all-sufficient. All my
happiness centers in Him. This intimacy of devotion is one of the cardinal
teachings of the book of Psalms (see Ps. 42:1, 2; 63:1)... God was the
source of the psalmist's happiness. God was his all in all. Prompted by
this verse, Charles Wesley (1707-88), on his deathbed, dictated to
his wife one of his 6,500 hymns, in which appear the words: "Jesus,
... strength of my failing flesh and heart." [SDA Bible Commentary]
The psalm begins with "God is good" and ends with "It is
good" (v. 28), but between those statements, things are not so good!
The philosopher. Asaph's basic premise was correct: God is
good. But when he pondered the success of the wicked and the sorrows
of the righteous, he began to falter in his faith. It seemed that
he was wasting his time and energy being faithful to God because
the unfaithful received all the blessings. He did not realize that
what he called "good" was not what God would call "good." He was
walking by sight and not by faith.
The worshiper. The turning point came when he went into the
sanctuary and started looking at things from God's viewpoint The important
thing is not so much what you own or enjoy but where you are going.
What good is an easy death (v. 4) if it ushers you into pain? When
life seems unfair, take time to worship and get your spiritual vision
properly focused.
The friend. Asaph realized that because he had God as his
Friend, he needed nothing else. He had more than the wicked, and what he
had would last forever. God would hold him, guide him, strengthen
him, satisfy his spiritual desires--and one day, take him to heaven!
We are not philosophers, living on man's explanations. We are
pilgrims, living on God's promises, and His promises never fail. [Chapter
by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe]
Probably you can understand Asaph's feelings. He'd tried all his
life to be a good person. He'd tried to serve God. But all he'd
gotten in return was sickness, hardships, and more troubles than he
cared to name. Of course, what really bothered Asaph was that he knew
people with no faith at all who were healthy and strong, rich and
carefree! No wonder Asaph was discouraged, and had begun to feel that "in
vain have I kept my heart pure." What good is a faith that doesn't
work in this world? What good is a faith that seems to bring more
plagues and punishments on the believer than the world's wicked have to
endure? The psalm tells us that Asaph struggled with these thoughts in
silence. And then, suddenly, one day in God's sanctuary, Asaph found his
answer! Asaph realized that the troubles he experienced were gifts from
God, and that the easy life granted the wicked was actually "slippery
ground"! What Asaph gained was a perspective that you and I need to keep
constantly in mind. The easy life of the wicked is no reward, for it leads
them away from any dependence on God! Why turn their thoughts to the
Lord when they feel no need of His help? Yet, one day soon, they will
be "swept away by terrors," for they will awaken to realize that
this world is the dream, and eternity the reality. And Asaph? Asaph,
now ashamed of his earlier jealousy of the wicked, realized that the
very trials he had hated had led him again and again to God in
prayer. Only through his troubles had Asaph discovered God as "the
strength of my heart and my portion forever." [The 365-Day Devotional
Commentary re Psalm 73]
COMMENTARY
The psalmist had tested and experienced the beauty, glory,
and excellency of the Lord; that is why he could proclaim that there
was nothing or no one in all the earth that he wanted or treasured
more than God. He had seen God as he truly was-- as his shepherd, his
counselor, his victory, his refuge, and his sustainer. Therefore, he knew
that all his needs and desires were fulfilled in God and that he
would always be the strength of his heart and life, even when his
health failed or the aging process brought weakness.
If we see and experience Jesus as he is, we, too, will value
him above every earthly pleasure, possession, or relationship.
Though our vision of God is often dim and "we see things imperfectly as
in a poor mirror" (1 Corinthians 13:12), we can ask for the
spiritual eyes to see the Lord and for our hearts to so experience his
presence that we will treasure him and be more thrilled by him than by
anything on earth, Dedicate some time today for praising and thanking God
that he is and always will be the strength of your heart and yours
forever.
LORD, I want to know, see, and experience you in fresh ways
so I can truly say that I desire you more than anything on earth!
You and you alone are the strength of my heart. You are all that I
need, and I am so thankful that you are mine forever. Nothing can
separate me from your love. Open my eyes, and grant me fresh vision to
constantly see your beauty and your love for me. [Praying Through The Bible
By Fuller re Psa. 73:25, 26]
Religious teachers from all religions throughout the
centuries, including Christianity, have looked down on desire as an
unspiritual attitude. In Buddhism, it's the root of all suffering; in some
Islamic and Christian teaching, it has often been considered the root of
sin. Perhaps desire is held in such contempt because human nature
points it in so many wrong directions. But good desire-the deep and
true longing of the heart-is a God-given attribute designed to lead
to fulfillment. When we turn our longings in the right direction,
God satisfies them with Himself.
Jesus told His disciples to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven,
and all their other concerns would be taken care of (Matthew 6:33).
That's because we were designed to love Him above all else, and life
doesn't work well if we don't get that right. His purpose is
relationship. That's the driving force behind creation. God loves to be longed
for and delights in those who delight in Him. The attitude of the
psalmist is music to His ears.
Let this verse be a personal statement of desire. You can
have meticulously correct doctrinal beliefs and strong faith, but if
a longing for God doesn't drive you, you've missed His heart. That
would be tragic-for Him and for you. The God who is love and who says
His name is Jealous wants your passion above all else. He has the
works of many servants and the thoughts of many theologians, but He
doesn't have the hearts of many lovers. Not fully. Be one of those whose
desire connects with His.
Lord, I know You want my passion more than You want my
doctrine, my understanding, my obedience, or even my faith. I realize
these things are related, and You really want them all. But above all
else, You want my love. I really do desire You more than anything on
earth. [The One Year Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by Chris
Tiegreen]
Personally, I find these some of the most enchanting words in
the whole of the Old Testament. The first part of verse 25 is put in
a negative, and the second in a positive form. Having looked
around and seen that there is no satisfying substitute for the
Almighty, the psalmist goes on to make the positive assertion that from
the bottom of his heart he desires to know God. He has come to see
(so I believe) that it is more important to desire God for who He is
than for what He does or what He gives. In a sense, the psalmist's
entire problem arose out of the fact that he had put what God gives in
the place of God Himself. The ungodly were having a good time while
he was having a bad time. Why was he having to suffer like this?
His trouble was that he had become more interested in the things God
gives than in God Himself, and when he didn't have the things he
wanted, he began to doubt God's love. Now, however, he has come to the
place where he desires God for Himself. The ultimate test of the
Christian life is whether we desire God for Himself or for what He gives.
Each one of us must ask ourselves: "Do I desire God more than
forgiveness? More than release from my problems? More than healing of my
condition? More than gifts and abilities?" How tragic that our prayers can
be full of pleadings that show, when they are examined, that we are
more interested in enjoying God's blessings than we are in enjoying
God.
O Father, forgive me that so often I am concerned more with
Your gifts than I am with You - the Giver. Help me to long after You,
not because of what You give me, but because of who You are. In
Jesus' Name I ask it Amen. by Selwyn Hughes in Everyday Light
"If you don't have your health, you don't have anything."
Perhaps you've heard such nonsense before; it's a common enough
statement from people who can't see past our current physical existence.
Perhaps those who say it haven't thought through the implications, but
plenty of terminally ill patients can testify that there's a hope
greater than our health. Even when we're wasting away, an eternal flame
burns within those who are born of the Spirit.
Paul said as much in describing the afflictions he bore in
his own body (2 Corinthians 4:7-12). There's a glorious power within
us, an imperishable treasure contained in these perishable vessels.
If we walk through life with a limp, we still walk with the
strength of God showing up in our weakness. If we are attacked by a
disease, it cannot touch our spirits. Though we taste death, we overcome
it. Yes, God gives us wonderful promises for healing and often does
miracles in our bodies. But even when we don't experience that blessing,
we have greater promises for more lasting blessings. If God is the
strength of our heart, no weakness really matters.
Embrace the psalmist's statement: "he is mine forever." There
really is no other passion that lasts forever, but this one not only
lasts, it grows. When the world shakes-and it often does-only one
relationship, one security, one truth can't be shaken. He is the stability and
permanence we long for. No matter what is happening in your world today,
hang on to the imperishable, unending Spirit within you. He is your
life, and nothing can take Him away.
Lord, You are the strength if my heart, and I know I can rely
on You in any situation. I face threats to my health, safety, and
security in this world, but that isn't my life. You are. Help me stay
anchored in You. [The One Year Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by
Chris Tiegreen]
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I am with you. These four words are like a safety net,
protecting you from falling into despair. Because you are human, you will
always have ups and downs in your life experience. But the promise of
My Presence limits how far down you can go. Sometimes you may feel
as if you are in a free fall, when people or things you had counted
on let you down. Yet as soon as you remember that I am with you,
your perspective changes radically. Instead of bemoaning your
circumstances, you can look to Me for help. You recall that not only am I with
you, I am holding you by your right hand. I guide you with My
counsel, and afterward I will take you into Glory. This is exactly the
perspective you need: the reassurance of My Presence, and the glorious hope
of heaven. (Zep. 3:17; Psa. 73:23-26) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
Some people think that only the weak need God, but the fact is
that all of us are weak. Our flesh fails; our heart fails. But when
we find our strength in God, our weakness turns to strength (2 Cor.
12:10). [Life Principles SB By Charles Stanley]
ILLUSTRATIONS & TESTIMONIES
I never thought I had many idols in my life until I got
married. Isn't it funny how marriage reveals all those sins we thought we
had hidden? All the selfishness seems to come out, and we find out
how sinful we really are!
After we had been married for about ten years, my husband
decided to leave a lucrative sales job and open a restaurant. The next
three years were extraordinarily difficult. It was during this time
that God revealed some of the idols I had been worshiping
unknowingly. One of those idols was my husband himself. When we had
difficulties with finances, or really anything else, he had always figured
something out and made it work. Now, our business was failing, so I
expected him to solve the problem. But this time he had no answers, and
when he began to struggle, I fell apart. That's when God showed me
that I was looking to my husband when I should have been looking to
God. He showed me that I can't expect my husband to be perfect or to
have all the answers. I had to trust God to work in his life and in
mine as well.
God allowed me to be completely broken so I could realize
that he--not my husband--would forever be "the strength of my heart."
The business failed, but God's purposes did not. He used that
difficult time to reveal himself to us and to strengthen our marriage and
our faith.
Debbie Graves, a freelance writer, part-time college English
instructor, Sunday school teacher, and small-group leader, lives in
Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband and three children. [The One Year
Bible Live Verse Devotional]
In 1977 we packed up our four children and various animals to
move from our home state of Texas to the Arizona desert, where we
would be ministering with The Navigators, a lay Christian
organization. This was an enormous upheaval for us all; we were leaving a
successful veterinary practice, family, friends--and Texas chili.
I was concerned about good friends and schools for our
children and apprehensive about what the future held for my husband and
me. We had prayed diligently about this move, and I knew God was
going before us, but it wasn't until I read Psalm 73:25-26 that my
heart was comforted and strengthened.
God's Word reminded me to keep my focus on him and not on my
circumstances, to trust him with all my heart, and to know that he would always
be with me. These precious words from God proved true not only for
that transition in my life, but also for all the other changes I have
encountered over the years.
Cynthia Heald, a speaker on staff with The Navigators and a
founder of the Women of Faith movement, is the author of several books,
including the best seller Becoming a Woman of Excellence and Maybe God Is
Right After All. [The One Year Bible Live Verse Devotional]
GREAT VIDEO CLIP - ONE OF THE BEST
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
SPECIAL VIDEO CLIP ON SEEKING GOD FIRST
http://vimeo.com/31489782
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON EXPERIENCING GOD:
http://sda.biggytv.com/watch/Revive!_-_Dwight_Nelson:_Experiencing_Gods_Grace/revive/
EXCELLENT BIBLE PROPHECY SERIES - Prophecies Decoded By Dr. Ron
Clouzet:
1. Coming Soon: A New Superpower -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTcZ-oQGWUw
2. 2012 and Signs of the End of the World -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVgTGGGO33c
3. Armageddon and the Seven Last Plagues -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcFPUq2JAiU
4. War in Heaven Between Michael and the Dragon -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGnb54Qo_Lg
5. Revelation's Three Angels' Messages -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msy6mZLQ7EA
6. The Lamb Slain and the Seven Seals -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xdpQdli9J0
7. A New Revelation of Jesus Christ -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b2IwriWwY0
8. The Anti-Christ and the Cults that Follow Him -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDKzf5Z6VPQ
9. In Search of the Ark of the Covenant -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc6IM9cm2SU
10. The Greatest Issue in the Book of Revelation, Part 1 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLQbWSpTUXs
11. The Greatest Issue in the Book of Revelation, Part II -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQr_DHJYMc
12. How to Keep God's Holy Day, Part 1 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX5HtCx90oY
13. How to Keep God's Holy Day, Part 2 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPR5Pu8_1rM
14. Taking a Stand at the Time of the End -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7caCWSrpGU4
15. The Longest Time Prophecy in the Bible -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvAsJGlmrmE
16. Doctrines of Demons and the Mystery of Death -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJHE1cyLlcY
17. The Fall of Babylon the Great -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O70xfBDKxVQ
18. The Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqm1xgG9NuM
19. Israel and the Rapture of the Church -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMZhsKEzPPA
20. The United States in Bible Prophecy -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6-umijrrKI
21. The Beauty and the Beast of Revelation -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2cLfTDQyQg
22. The Remnant's Use of Time, Treasure, and Talent -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CMdmIIHCUY
23. The One Thousand Year Millennium -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFbu9WsSK0Y
24. Revelation's Lake of Fire -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DccBQcLZGso
25. Heaven and the Apocalypse -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiXDN9_d0Mw
26. A Messenger for the Last Days -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSAgxCcNSqM
27. Christian Standards for Today -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFHCFFoRw98
28. The Work of the Holy Spirit in Your Life -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiwYeGKQg58
