“Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” (Psalm 73:25)
Life is full of disappointment. Plans we made come to nought. Prosperity we thought was on the horizon is nowhere in sight. Relationships we had high hopes for fizzle out. Hope is deferred, and we are heartsick.
At such times, we can fall into the pit of self-pity. Envy is nearby. Everyone else seems to be getting ahead and getting the very things we long for. But what about us? Where is our piece of the pie?
Asaph certainly felt this way when he compared his life to those around him. Even the wicked were doing better than he was. And then the lightning bulb turned on. Instead of obsessing over what was missing from his life, he saw the Portion he possessed. “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever” (Ps. 73:26). Godliness with contentment is great gain.
When will the Lord become to us what He was always meant to be? When will He become our everlasting portion – the one who is continually with us, holding us by our right hand; our “go to” Person who is always available and ready to guide us with His counsel? He is just such a Friend, who sticks closer than any other. He is more than enough for our every need. Why do we pine away and mourn over the absence of another, when His presence is with us?
God gives us richly all things to enjoy, but He has created us for Himself. All that we see and hold dear in this world is passing away. We cannot hold on to a fleeting vapor. Let others bow down and serve the temporal. Fix your eyes on the eternal God. Make Him your refuge. Find underneath you His everlasting arms.