NEARER MY GOD TO THEE The psalmist wrote on the goodness of being near to God and finding shelter under His sovereign care. He declared his desire to “tell everyone” about the “wonderful” deeds of the Lord. Do you know the goodness of being near the Lord? Why not take a moment right now to
Chapter: 73
“It is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works” (Psalm 73:28 NKJV).
DRAWING NEAR TO GOD Do you “draw near to God” every morning? Do you take a moment to lift your eyes above your circumstances to contemplate His holiness, to read His Word, to seek His direction, and to receive a fresh filling of His Spirit? Drawing near to God, we put our “trust” in Him
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26 NKJV).
Desire and thirst both seek satisfaction. The psalmist was once envious of the boasting and prosperity of the wicked, and didn’t understand why God allowed it. Yet, he brought his concern to the Lord and received fresh understanding. In the place of his envy for what others had, the Lord gave him a new thirst, a new desire for God Himself. He lifted his eyes to heaven and saw the rich portion that was his, namely, the Lord.
All things on earth will fade. Our bodies will fail. Why thirst for things that do not satisfy? Why be envious of things that will not last? Instead, let your desire be for the Lord. Put your trust in the Lord Jesus, who said from the cross, “I thirst” (John 19:28), so that we might find our deepest desire satisfied in Him.
“It is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works” (Psalm 73:28 NKJV)
Do you “draw near to God” every morning? Do you take a moment to lift your eyes above your circumstances to contemplate His holiness, to read His Word, to seek His direction, and to receive a fresh filling of His Spirit? Drawing near to God, we put our “trust” in Him and we fill our mouths with His praise, so that we “declare” His works all day long. Or do you attempt to live life on your own, depending on your own strength and wisdom? Why not join the psalmist and every believer throughout the ages who has discovered this secret of living: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
“I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked” (Psalm 73:16-17)
We sometimes struggle with questions of fairness. We ask,”Why do good people suffer, while bad people prosper?” Our question implies that God isn’t fair. That He has somehow taken His eye off the ball and allowed injustice to happen. We suffer from a limited perspective. We don’t see how things will end. But God does. Trust Him with judgment. He hasn’t missed a thing. Ultimately, no one will doubt His justice.
“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever (Psalm 73:26)
Do you depend on your own strength? No matter how many vitamins or supplements you take, your health will wane. But God’s strength is available to you forever. Draw on Him. Depend on Him. God never fails.
“But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:2-3)
American consumerism is a slippery slope for those pursuing righteousness. Don’t lose your foothold. Live for what lasts.