Finding Fulfillment in God
We are in Westminster in northwest Denver for my niece’s wedding. Kate is the daughter of my older brother Don and his wife Claudia from Monterrey, California. She is working as an occupational therapist at Porter Hospital. She met David, her fiance over a year ago. The wedding is tomorrow afternoon. So, part of the plans for this weekend is going to Flatirons Church where they attend. David told me they wanted their family and friends to experience an important part of their “weekend life.” As my New Zealand friend would say, “Good on ’em” for that commitment.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.” Psalm 63:3,4 ESV
In this psalm we find a focus on the Lord who meets the most critical needs of our life. Our relationship with the Lord must be viewed as vital and foundational. Just as we think of physical, basic needs, such as food, clothing and shelter, our relationship with God must be viewed in such terms. In other words, it is not an “add on.” It is not, “if I have time for God.” It is not a “take it or leave it” option in my life. It is understanding that a meaningful, growing relationship with the God of the universe is a “main course” of life and not “desert.”
This psalm opens with this vivid word picture, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1 ESV) We are correct in saying, “what water is to our physical bodies, so is God to our spirit.”
My only trip to Israel, was when Debbie and I joined a tour in the July of 2000. There is a reason most tours to the Holy Land are in the fall. When you experience the summer heat of Israel, you gain a whole new appreciation for water. During our trip the thoughts often ran through our minds, “I need water and I need some now!”
As I read the opening verses of this psalm, I have to ask myself, “Has my desire for the Lord ever matched that kind of desperation?” Have I ever found myself crying out, “Lord, I need You and I need You now!” As I near a “health crisis anniversary” (it was this time of the year three years ago, I almost died of septic shock) I can say that there were times when that was my plea. But how often is it outside of a literal life and death crisis?
The old hymn confesses, “I need thee every hour.” When we live our life with that kind of dependence, it will bring a whole new dimension to our lives. We will have our life set on a firm foundation.
It is then we find that the Lord’s “…steadfast love is better than life…” It is never in short supply. It is never a cause for fear or concern over its limits being exhausted. That is a reason for us to live our lives with a sense of praise and thankfulness. The water supply for communities may be threatened by times of drought, natural disasters and changes in weather. But the love of God will never be in question. It is steadfast, it is long-suffering, it is what we need to sustain our lives.
Prayer for today…. Lord, may we never take for granted Your love and its consistency in our lives. May we ever recognize our need of You and what You offer. With You at the center of our lives, we have all that we need.