Today's Scripture: Psalm 73:25-28
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you."
Desire can be a good or a bad thing.
Some are motivated by a strong desire to help others. I recently read how people were booking Airbnb's in Ukraine after the invasion by Russia, with over 434,000 bookings at one point. It's not that they intended to go on vacation to Ukraine during a war, but that they had a desire to donate to those in need. That's a good thing.
Others are motivated by a strong desire for self. They seek more money, more power, or more things and are willing to stop at nothing to gain them. They'll step on, crush, or take advantage of anyone who gets in their way, which is quite often those who have already been stepped on, crushed, or taken advantage of. That's a bad thing.
The psalmist reminds us what is the absolute best desire we can have, the one that is supreme above anything else we can name. A desire for God. For the psalmist, there is nothing in heaven for him but God. There is nothing on earth he desires more than God.
This kind of desire for God can only come from a deep, abiding, consuming love for God. The kind of love Jesus spoke about when he was asked what is the greatest commandment. His response was, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind."
Think about it …
- Consider for a moment, what one thing do you desire the most? Is it money? Is it happiness? Is it health and long life? Is it a family?
- Now consider, does your desire for God supersede that desire?
- In what ways can your desire for God manifest itself so that it has a positive impact in the lives of others?
