Better Than Life

"O God, you are my God,
       earnestly I seek you;
       my soul thirsts for you,
       my body longs for you,
       in a dry and weary land
       where there is no water.
 ² I have seen you in the sanctuary
       and beheld your power and your glory.
 ³ Because your love is better than life,
       my lips will glorify you.
 ⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
       and in your name I will lift up my hands.
 ⁵ My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
       with singing lips my mouth will praise you."  Psalm 63:1-5

I added all five of these verses here this morning, because the whole cluster of verses just plain makes me happy.  It makes me smile and think about how truly wonderful God is.  But it's verse 3 that really sings to me this morning- and specifically the first part of verse three.  The part where David says "your love is better than life."  WOW! And then I close my eyes and I think on that dreamily, and I repeat it to myself.  "Your love is better than life."

You know, that's quite the statement.  It makes me think about how each and every day I find myself amazed at life itself and how wonderful it is.  I drive around our city and think my heart is going to burst because I'm so overjoyed to live here.   I spend time with my kids and every day I think about how wonderful they are and  how rich they make my life.  I go to church where I spend time in corporate worship, and I just think about how life just can't get any better than this.  And then I see David say that God's love is better than life.

That makes me smile. It also makes me think and as I read these verses written by a man who was in a troublesome situation, and yet takes the time to praise and glorify God, I think that I want to be there.  I want to be at that point in my walk with God where every word out of my lips will seek to glorify God- and not be used, instead, to tear someone down or say something unkind.  I want to be satisfied.  I want to know what David knew, and also what Paul knew.

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³I can do everything through him who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:11-13

Any day now, Andy could come home from work and share with us that the work year is over for him, and I dwell on that far too much.  Yet, yesterday he came home with news that his work year may very well be extended now- thank God for that!  But still, in the forefront of my mind is, OK, but what are you going to do when the work is done...bills and rent just don't go away...and yet I read verses like this almost every day it seems, and I just know that God is doing a great work in me.  I know that God is speaking to my spirit and I desire to trust Him with all my heart.  I am learning, very much, to do everything through Him, because He gives me strength.  It is because of Him that I get out of bed every morning.

My soul wants to be satisfied.