August 5, 2021
Scripture: Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26 ESV
Observation: Asaph, the lyricist of this psalm, was a Levite (deacon of sorts) and the musical director for King David. As seen in this and his eleven other psalms, Asaph shared the same mindset about God as his king. The tone in Psalm 73 is that God is near him and those who know and love the Lord, but he is distant from the ungodly. In the above two verses, Asaph reminds us of two important realities of life. First, heaven without God is not heaven. With all that is written in Scripture about the glory of heaven (eternal celebrations and worship, majesty, beauty, joy—all free of pain and sorrow), none of this would matter (or be possible) outside the presence of our good Father. The second reality is that while all of us will face a physical death and the woes of aging (if we are fortunate to live to old age), we can grow old gracefully when we rely on the Lord who is our “rock” (the Hebrew word translated here as “strength”) and our portion (also translated as “inheritance”).
Takeaway: As a child would be bereft to enter and live in this world without their mother who gave them birth, so are we without our Creator who has perfectly and unfailing loved us. Indeed, while we may enjoy the blessings of good health and the fellowship of loved ones, El-Shaddai (the all-sufficient One) is all that we will ever need—in this life and in the one to come.
Prayer: Father God, instill in us an awareness of your loving presence and your sufficiency for all matters of life (whether in prosperity or want, good or poor health, youth or old age), that we, like Asaph, would desire you above all that we hold dear here on earth. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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