Do you ever read something in Scripture that really gives you pause?
I wish it happened more frequently. I’m sure the infrequency of this has much more to do with me than with God. I sit down to read, simply going through the motions, not really stopping to consider what God might be speaking or what I might be hearing. Sure, I keep my journal close, but often my Bible reading is just something I need to check off my “To Do” list.
In any event, I was reading Psalm 73 recently, a psalm I know fairly well, when the words gave me pause.
“Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.” Psalm 73:25
The psalmist goes on:
“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 I really desire God more than anything on earth? Wow. I don’t know if I can say that. It’s a nice sentiment, but I’d be pretty upset if my health failed. I think about how frustrated I’d be if I had to stop running for some reason. This may seem silly to some of you, but all the runners just shouted “Amen!” Running literally keeps me sane. It helps me to release anger, to think clearly, even to connect with God.
If I had to stop running, would God show Himself as the strength of my heart?
On Freedom Friday this week, the post will be “Is Jesus All We Need?” and I will expound on this a bit. Until then, I encourage you to reflect on the scriptures quoted here. And pray with me, “God, heal my heart so that I desire You more than anything.”
“Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.” Psalm 73:25-26
Note to readers: I am currently reading the Life Recovery Bible. The NLT seems to have slight differences there when compared to the NLT at Biblegateway.com.
You are echoing the thoughts I had yesterday as the congregation was led in the chorus of “Draw Me Close to You”: “You’re all I want / You’re all I’ve ever needed / You’re all I want…”
I stood there listening, not singing. I don’t want to sing lies. So I prayed instead, “God, are you all I want?” My surface response was, “No! I also want…(long list of noble desires goes here).”
But this style of inquisition easily reverts me to the old voice of my well-intentioned Christian self-condemnation.
Is God all I want in the broader sense that I want his will done in my life as it is in heaven? Is he all I want in that ultimately all I want is to want what he wants for me? Is saying, “God, you’re all I want,” humbling myself to acknowledge that he was, is and will be the source of my unrealized desires – both the desires themselves and their fulfillment?
A silent “yes” in my heart suddenly frees me to sing alongside my self-doubt, and to pray:
Lord, I want you; help me to want you.
I loved what you shared with psalm 73,,,,this is one of my many favorites. Plus my desire, is to want desire and have Him alone to be my everything. And yes, i understand about the running. I as well have thought that, running i thank God for. He keeps my knees going after 25yrs. of running. Plus my sanity too, I am single and live here in Mt.Home Ark. So, keep sharing your blog i just started reading, very enlighten. Also, I was apart of Worth Creations, long ago with Tom Rogers. When they just started the group in Ft.Laud. Also, God can change and now i believe you get older in life. Old things do fade away and God gives Wisdom and Well it doesn’t have that pull on you. God gives more of Him and less of me. God Bless i will keep reading>
Thanks for the comments, folks 🙂
I’ve thought the same things. But I know that even though my behavior and thoughts do not always reflect desiring God, in the depths of my heart, that IS my deepest desire. And I can trust God to put His finger on the parts of me that don’t desire God alone, as I’ll share on Friday,