Nothing Beside You
“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 73:25,26
The room sleeps in darkness. My computer screen burns a window of light into the black where I sit, soaking in Andrew Peterson’s Love and Thunder through my heavy headphones. A single question burns through the rhythm of sound and rhyme of reason. What does it mean to desire only God?
“…Jesus, lead me through the night, Pillar of Fire…” Peterson weaves his tales, leading me through dry deserts and cold nights. Always onward, always upward. Something, maybe that Pillar of Fire, tells me this is right, this journey toward a home I’ve never seen, never heard, never touched. Something tells me that far off place is somehow more real and more enchanted than this place could ever dream to be.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 Faith is seeing God’s country as home. And faith is the only way to get there. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” Hebrews 11:6. Faith is following Christ, who has blazed the trail home. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” Hebrews 12:2.
“…just as I am, just as I was, just as I will be, He loves me, He does…” How do I quit stumbling through the trail? How do I follow Jesus to that Far Country without all these distractions I face? How do I desire only Jesus? How do I quit being selfish? How do I quit trying to impress people? How do I quit entertaining lust? How do I quit avoiding my dirty laundry? How do I quit being so darned lazy?
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” Psalm 119:9-11.
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” Hebrews 4:14-16.
