OUR DAILY BREAD : WHAT DO WE WANT?

[cimi]

June 7
Saturday


WHAT DO
WE WANT?

READ:
Psalm 73:1-3,21-28
_____________________________________________________________________________________

My friend Mary tells me that she doesn't always sing all the words to the hymns and choruses in a church service. She says, "It doesn't seem honest to sing. 'All I want is Jesus' when my heart wants many other things too." I appreciate her honesty.

In verse 25 of Psalm 73, Asaph sounds like a spiritually minded man who wants God only: "There is none upon earth that I desire besides You." But that's not how he began this psalm. Initially, he admitted that he wanted the prosperity that others around him had: "For I was envious of the boastful" (v.3). But when he drew near to God, he recognized that he was foolish to be envious (vv.21-22,28).

Even when we know God, we are often distracted by the prosperity of others. C. S. Lewis wrote, "It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak....We are far too easily pleased" with lesser things than Him.

What do we learn about God in this psalm that might help when our desires distract us from God's best? Well, we see that even though we may be tempted to envy what others have, He is continually guiding us and bringing us back to focus on Him. He "is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (v.26). __Anne Cetas

``````````````````Lord, we do believe that You are the place where true
```````````````````satisfaction is found. But we're weak and sinful and
```````````````````easily distracted from Your best. Teach us to draw
``````````````````near to You, and may You, in turn, draw near to us.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
A daily dose of God's wisdom
will heal the heart disease of envy.

*****************************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 73:1-3,21-28***************************

1 Truly God is good to
Israel, to such as are pure in
heart. 2 But as for me, my
feet had almost stumbled;
my steps had nearly
slipped. 3 For I was envious
of the boastful, when I saw
the prosperity of the
wicked....

21 Thus my heart was
grieved, and I was vexed n
my mind. 22 I was so
foolish and ignorant; I was
like a beast before You.

23 Nevertheless I am
continually with You; You
hold me by my right hand.

24 You will guide me with
Your counsel, and afterward
receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven
but You? And there is none
upon earth that I desire
besides you. 26 My flesh
and my heart fail; but God
is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

27 For indeed, those who
are far from You shall
perish; You have destroyed
all those who desert You for
harlotry. 24 But 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.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Today's psalm deals with an ancient and perplexing problem: Why
do the wicked seem to prosper while those who seek to obey God
suffer adversity? In Job, we read of the prosperous wicked who
have nothing but contempt for God: "Who is the Almighty, that we
should serve Him!" (Job 21:15). This contradiction has troubled
believers in every generation. Yet the psalmist ultimately realizes
that temporal prosperity cannot be compared to divine guidance
now and eternal glory in the next life. "You hold me by my right
hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive
me to glory" (Ps. 73:23-24).