Its a process...

Psalm 73:25-28
25)  Whom have I in heaven but You?  And there is none upon earth  
     that I desire besides You.  
26)  My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart 
     and my portion forever.  
27)  For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have  
     destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. 
28)  But it is good for me to draw near to God;  I have put my trust 
     in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works. 

What a great section of the Word in Psalm 73.  It is a good place to begin our day or restart it wherever we find ourselves.  WHOM have I in heaven? - JESUS & OUR FATHER GOD!  This verse reminds me of what (WHO) my priorities need to be.  Too often I am more concerned with the things and people of this world rather than focusing my desire heavenward.  Oh, I so struggle with my attitude!!!

Look the psalmist says that his flesh and heart fail.  Isn't that so good to know?  Mine does too as I am sure that yours does and yet our focus does not get to stay there.  Remember?  It has already been declared that Our Father in Heaven is our desire!  Look God even provides the strength of my heart and my portion forever!  He is so much more than enough!

However, I spend so much time trying to add to Him in my life.  Oh, it looks good on the outside, but I know that on the inside it is often about pride, about fear, about anything else but God.  

So, I had to look up what verse 27 was talking about and it refers to the fact that unbelievers are far from Christ, they do don't have Him in heaven and they will perish because they have not turned to Him as their Bridegroom but rather have chosen another, thus the reference to harlotry.  (So interesting!!)

Do you see that next word in verse 28?  But!!!  But it is good for me to draw near to God... do you see all the actions that this section of the Word calls us too?  First, and this precludes the fact that You have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and believe that He is able to save you from your sins because He lived, died and was raised again to provide salvation and to redeem you and give you a chance to have a personal, intimate relationship with Him and His Father God in heaven; so if you have made this decision and you belong to Him then you and I must decide, determine, recognize in our minds that we focus on the fact that we have relationship with our Father in heaven.  Secondly, we must check our priorities.  Is He LORD of my life or am I desiring the things and people of this earth more?  Thirdly, gratitude comes into play when we remind ourselves that because of our relationship with our Father in heaven, through Jesus Christ, we will not perish!!!

Finally, once I have decided all of this my actions need to follow!  I must draw near to God and to do this is good - for who?  Me!!!  It seems like so often I will settle for mediocre for myself rather than good!  What about you?

I have put my trust in the Lord GOD and I must continue to do so...thus by actively drawing near to Him?  How?  Through praying, talking and sharing life with Him, praising Him, and reading His Word, taking the part of it 'with' me throughout the day by meditating on it and memorizing it so that when life happens I am not knocked flat!  But there is a bigger reason... A reason beyond me and the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father.

What, you ask?  THAT I MAY DECLARE ALL HIS WORKS!!!  How incredible is that!!!  He not only saves us but He allows me to share Him with others!!!  What a gift! What a blessing!

When I do my part...focus on Him...desire Him...recognize my failings and look to His strength and provision, and have a grateful heart then I am able to draw near to Him and trust Him in such a way that I may DECLARE ALL HIS WORKS!  This is really mind blowing if you think about it!  I mean, He provides everything...EVERYTHING... He even helps me with the strength to make the right choice...which is Him.  And then He actually allows me to declare Him, to declare His works by my actions and my words, by the drawing near to Him and trusting in Him!

I do not have to make opportunities to share Him, nor do I have to have the words or anything prepared...all the preparation is done by recognizing the fact that I am His and He is mine!!!  He makes the relationship possible and He makes it work!  Wow!

Father God, thank You for Your Word and all of Your provision.  May I chose daily, moment by moment to look to You and follow the natural progression that doing so means.  Help me to get over myself, forgive me for the pride that rules so often.  I think of myself and how life affects me way more than I consider You.  May I consciously remember that I am not going to perish, that this life is just a season but I get to be with You eternally in heaven!!! Help me to live this life with an attitude of thanksgiving rather than entitlement.  Forgive me that this is not something that happens with ease but with a great deal of effort.  Thank You though for never giving up on me, that failing is expected, but thank You for being the strength of my heart and my portion forever!!! Mind boggling! May I draw near to You and place my trust in You despite the things that seem bigger, or the things that I do not want to wait for You to work out and I try to control them myself.  I know they are not bigger and that You are in control forgive me for living otherwise. May I have the opportunity to declare You and all Your works with regularity...may You be seen in me.  May this time of 'blogging' just jumpstart me not just be some words that I write.  Please God use me for Your glory...may I step out of Your way! Remind me of this plea when I get attitudinal and want my way... Thank You Jesus for saving me and for loving me, period!