Only His presence can fully satisfy your soul in this life and the next. - Day 26

“As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭17:15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Years ago we sang a song entitled, “Only Jesus can Satisfy your Soul.” This was also one of those songs that would bring my father to tears. Yes, he would have us sing it over and over again as he ministered to people who were hurting and longing for answers to their heart’s cry.

As I have said before, my father never lost the thrill of God’s love and mercy toward him. Additionally, he never sought out “things,” or even other people, to bring peace in his storms or bread for his soul. As a matter of fact, thinking back, I don’t remember my father ever having a true confidant or someone who he could depend on as a source of strength. What I do remember is him “getting before the Lord” and pouring himself out before the One he did seek out for comfort and satisfaction. This man who brought comfort to so many, basically went it alone in his times of need. Yes, for much of his life he had only the Lord to depend on, but the Lord was enough for him.

Looking around you—or possibly looking in the mirror—you see hurting, longing, eyes, desirous of satisfaction and relief. Sadly, many people are seeking after satisfaction or comfort from all kinds of sources other than the Lord.

Some people, seeming to “have it all” in terms of things, opportunities, or circumstances, still have those same hungry eyes. I have known people who spent their whole lives seeking after things, getting all they could, withholding nothing from themselves, yet nothing was ever enough to satisfy their soul.

In our portion from Psalms today we see that David understands that his satisfaction comes from the Lord. When he talks of waking up in the presence of the Lord, he is not only referencing knowing the Lord is with him in this life, but also there is the projection toward waking up from this life, into the next, in God’s presence. Earlier in this psalm he has been asking the Lord to deliver him from unrighteous people. In describing these people, he references them as being those who now seem to have it all, but will have no hope beyond this life. He is contrasting his way of being and doing to the way of being and doing of these unrighteous people (who happen to be giving him grief).

Yes, David sought and found his help and his reward in the Lord.

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Now, it’s hard enough to see other people who seem to have an easier life than you, still seeking out “sympathy” from others, and/or still being miserable. It can be a whole new level of being irked when those same people are trying to make you miserable. What we must remember is that the Lord is the source of our comfort and satisfaction in this life and the next. Those other people who never seem to have enough, never will.

For today let us know and understand what David knew:

Only His presence can fully satisfy your soul in this life and the next.

#100dayswithdavid