Scripture For Sunday

Psalm 73:28, "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."

This verse breaks down into 3 parts that all speak to me:

1. It is good to be near God. Earlier in this same psalm, the psalmist describes how he messed up-- he had a bitter spirit and was senseless and ignorant. Anyone relate? He says he was "a brute beast" before God. Been there! And in the very next verse he says, YET (emphasis mine) he is always with God-- God holds his right hand. (Psalm 73:21-23) I love this picture-- no matter how we act, we show Him our worst, YET He is right there, sticking by us. He doesn't drop our hand and retreat from us. "It is good to be near God" has two meanings to me: 1) I need to spend time with Him, to be refueled by His presence and 2) He is near me even when I don't deserve it. Either way, it is good.

2. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge. Please see my devotion from last week about what it means to make the Lord your refuge. I need to have Him to run to because everything and everyone else will most assuredly fail me, but He never will.

3. I will tell of all Your deeds. How can I tell of all His deeds-- the ones I witness in the lives of others, the ones that happen directly to me, the ones I read about in the Word. I have chosen to tell through speaking and writing, but am I telling in my daily life, my one on one interactions? I need to keep telling of all His deeds and offering hope to those He brings into my life who need to hear about it. They need to know that He will do the same for them.

This one verse spoke volumes to me this morning. I intend to post it somewhere visible in my house (my dresser mirror, my bathroom mirror, my refrigerator) and meditate on these valuable truths all week long. Hope it ministers to someone else out there!