What's This All About? (Final Part)

So, we're not gonna go into the 1 Timothy passage like I promised a while ago (it's been a long time, eh?). We're gonna finish up Psalm 73 instead! Let's get right to work.

We left off realizing that those who put their hope and trust in riches and wealth and power and wickedness are destined for bad things. Really bad things. After the psalmist realizes this, he reflects on his previous attitude:

When my heart was greived and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
Psalm 73:21-22

How many times do we do that to God? We'll get worked up or bitter about something, and then we'll start complaining. We'll become senseless and ignorant and even like a brute beast towards God! Being senseless and ignorant aren't usually good things, especially when you're dealing with the God who defines sensibility and has zero ignorance. How should He react to our complaints? He should probably take us down a few pegs. Let's read on:

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory
Psalm 23-24

Wha?! You mean, God will look past our ignorance and senselessness? He'll even guide us in His counsel and take us into glory? Even when we're brutish beasts? That's pretty remarkable. Here comes the zinger and (finally) the answer to the question, "What's this all about?"

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever
Psalm 24-25

Wow. These words are in the Bible folks. Many times we think of the Bible as a book of rules and four steps to get your life in order. This in turn leads us to believe that Christianity is about things you have to do instead of things you want to do. Christianity sounds dreadful and therefore God sounds like the brute beast. In contrast, this psalmist sure doesn't sound like he's dreading God or his faith! He desires God with all he has! God fulfills his every need! Nothing on earth will satisfy him except God! Friends, this is what we're made for, and Christianity is about enjoying our Maker. Christians aren't Christians because they are forced to follow a few rules or because their parents believe or because they like voting Republican. Christians are Christians because they've caught a glimpse of the irresistable glory of God in Christ Jesus. Christians want to be Christians!

The psalmist continues with some sobering words:

Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you
Psalm 73:27

Those who are far from God will perish. Or, those who are close to God will not perish, but have everlasting life. How do we get close to God? Do we go to church every Sunday? Do we pray 3 times a day? Do we go feed the homeless? Do we meditate? I'm afraid the answer is no, no, no, and no. We can't get close to God on our own because we're all that brutish beast. We're all sinful and rebellious against God. We all desire things of this world far more than we desire Him. These things are deserving of death and eternal torture in hell. Left to ourselves, we're destined to perish.

Friends, I've said this a million times on this blog, but I can't stress it enough. The way we get close to God is to believe that Jesus took that punishment for us. He lived the perfect life we couldn't live then died the death that we deserve. He then gloriously rose from the dead to prove that He is who He said He is: God on earth, Forgiver of sins, and Savior of the world. We get close to God by repenting of our sin and believing these things. We must acknowledge that we're sinners and then put all of our trust in Christ as our Savior. This is called faith and faith is what saves us.

When we really get what Jesus did, we'll have a reaction much like verses 25 and 26. We will desire God above all things and praise His name. He will meet all of our needs!

And now for the closing:

But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds
Psalm 73:28

The psalmist knows it's good to be near God. And based on earlier, he knows it's life to be near God. He's cashed out and put all of his chips in the Lord. The Lord is his refuge and he will now tell of all that God has done. When God is our utmost desire, we will be happy to tell those around us.

God created us to enjoy Him. We in our sin refuse to enjoy Him. If we believe in Christ, His redemptive work on the cross and His resurrection will cleanse our sin and restore our desire for God. Then we'll understand what verses 25 and 26 are all about. We won't look at God as a burden. We'll embrace Him as our joy!

[Jesus said] These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full
John 15:11