Merry Christmas, my friends! How are you doing? Have you been staying close to God at the end of this year? I must confess that I have been feeling distant from the Lord for quite some time after I released this word for December this year (talk about matching words and actions…). The Lord has been gracious to me and I am here to honor His love and goodness – I want to share a Psalm which the Lord brought to my mind when I was calling out to Him for help. This song was written by a man who went through similar things like many of us do when we feel discontentment. It’s a reminder that we already have the most valuable and beautiful thing Heaven can give: Him.
Let us read Psalm 73 together first:
A psalm of Asaph.
1 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance,
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”
12 This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.
15 If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes;
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 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.
Mindblowing, isn’t it? What a confession and declaration! This relationship that we have with Christ is more worth than anything this world can ever give! No matter the circumstances, no matter how we are doing, if we are in this together with God, then it’s worth it. It’s like the man in the parable of Jesus who found hidden treasure in a field and sold everything to buy that field. He knew the worth of intimacy with God; he saw the true worth that it was worth EVERYTHING!
So maybe the greatest gift we have right now is Him. And everything else He so graciously gives us is bonus. Don’t you think? Hasn’t He been so good to us all the days of our lives?
“Yet I am always with you.” I believe that this is a powerful confession and realization of our blessed status at this moment and forever. It makes me still before Him. I hope that you can find peace in our biggest treasure, too.
Yes! Jesus is the best gift! A God that desires a relationship is the best gift! An in-dwelling Holy Spirit living in us to guide and empower us is the best gift!! Merry Christmas, Seulji! May you sit at His feet in wonder each and every day!