Who But Thee?

"Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee."  (Psl. 73:25)

I don't think these are words of resignation but, rather, ones of realization. They were not said with a deep sigh; they were uttered from an abiding certainty. David didn't say them because he had no one else, but because he had discovered he didn't need anyone else. When it comes to Heaven, we may have loved ones and friends there, and the roll call of saints may be illustrious, but you will not find a savior or mediator among their ranks. Don't expect help from the Virgin Mary, as blessed as she may be. Nor can Abraham or Moses, whose petitions were so powerful on earth, gain you any leverage at the throne of God. No, when push comes to shove, and when there is eternal business at hand, we, like the Psalmist, have no one in Heaven but Jesus Christ.

The first half of the verse is true for all of us, but the second part cuts the number down sizably. We may realize and even rejoice in the fact that we have One in Heaven to represent us before the Father, but only you can say whether you desire Him above all others on earth. For many of us, we want Jesus and...

I once heard a woman, whose husband was having heart problems, remark that as long as she had her husband and the Lord, it would be all she needed. Perhaps I chose an inopportune time to speak, but, nevertheless, I made the comment that it was good to know, when all is said and done, we only need the Lord. At this, the woman quickly spun on me and replied, "No, I need my husband, too!" Frankly, I was a little taken back. I'd like to think I love my husband every bit as much as she loves hers, but I'd also like to think that the God Who gave him to me in the first place would be sufficient enough for me should He choose to call him home to Heaven.

No one on this earth can satisfy us like the God who created us. And the sooner we learn this, the sooner we'll stop looking for others to be what only He can be, and do what only He can do. If Jesus Christ is our only hope in Heaven, it seems to me He should be our only requirement on earth.