Psalm 50:1-11

Psalm 50:1-11 
The Voice (VOICE)

  1 The Mighty God, the Eternal—God of past, present, and future— has spoken over the world, calling together all things from sunrise to sunset. 2 From Zion, that perfectly beautiful holy place, shines the radiance of God.
  3 Our God will come, and He will not enter on a whisper. A fire will devour the earth before Him; the wind will storm wildly about Him. 4 He calls heaven above and earth below to assist in bringing judgment on His people. 5 “Gather up those who are aligned with Me; bring them to Me; bring everyone who belongs to Me who have made covenant sacrifice.” 6 And the heavens shout of His justice, for He is the True God, an honest judge.
   7 “Listen, My people, I have something to say: O Israel, My testimony comes against you; I am God, your God. 8 I am not going to scold you because of your sacrifices; your burnt offerings are always before Me. 9 I will not accept the best bull from your fields or goats from your meadow, 10 For they are already Mine, just as the forest beast and the cattle grazing over a thousand hills are Mine. 11 Every bird flying over the mountains I know; every animal roaming over the fields belongs to Me.

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  Makes you think twice about the spirit in which you give to God, doesn't it?  "Here, God, it's a gift for you.  Now can I go do what I want?"
  "Not really.  That gift you gave me, hoping to impress me?  That gift was already mine.  I made it."
  "Then what do you want from me?"
  "I made you to be in relationship with me.  I want the absolute best for you, which means you need to live with a heart focused on me.  I promise you will find more joy in that life than you would in anything else, for idols are substitutes, and they cannot fulfill you the way that I can."
  "But that's hard work, God.  It's easier to chase distractions."
  "It's worth it.  Completely worth it.  Yes, it's hard, but to choose the easier path means the reward is less, too.  Trust me--follow me with all your heart, and it will become easier over time, but you will find it more fulfilling and rewarding.  You'll recognize that only I can fill those spaces that I created--everything else is a poor substitute."

  This is kind of how conversation goes between me and God.  It's a lifelong conversation, in which I continually insist that it's too hard to follow God, and God reminds me that it is the one thing worth doing, and that it will fulfill me in ways that nothing else in the entire world can.  Life isn't about figuring out what God wants to take from us--it's about recognizing that God wants abundant life, eternal life, for us.  God wants to fill us with his joy, hope and peace, and to have our lives on earth be practice for life in heaven.

  Oh, and the other takeaway from this Psalm--you won't miss it when he arrives.

May you take comfort in God's will today