Devotion Booklets for Seasons of the Church Year Advent-Christmas Devotional - 2017 - single page | Page 41

Why God?
Wednesday, January 3rd
Psalm 73:26
Ten years ago at Christmas I was diagnosed with a serious health problem. The doctor said it’s progressive
and incurable. Like it or not, my body is slowly breaking down. When the flesh starts to fail, it’s easy for
the heart to follow. “Why is God letting this happen to me? I’m one of his children by faith in Jesus.
Doesn’t he love me anymore?”
Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73, had the same experience. It not only discouraged him to see all the pain in
the world around him. He had physical and spiritual pain himself. He did not say, “My flesh (body) and my
heart (soul) may fail.” Literally, he said: “My flesh and my heart fail.” In other words, “My body is failing.
I’m discouraged because of it.”
Every Christian experiences the same physical and spiritual pain as Asaph. It’s not just other people who
slowly age and die. The wages of sin is death for all of us. We are all fading away like the grass and flowers
of the field. And our heart fails, also. We carry guilt because of our past sins. We wonder how God really
feels about us. We double clutch in our private moments: “Will I really be standing there on the right side
of Jesus in the end?”
But notice how Asaph conquered. He says, “God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” The
word for strength is actually the Hebrew word “rock.” Our strength is in the Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ. His
blood washes away all our sins. His perfect life is our righteousness before God’s throne. His empty grave
means we will rise, too. His glorified body is what we will also have. His ascension to the right hand of God
assures us that he is making all things – not just our health issues, but also our financial stresses, family
problems, everything – all work for our eventual good. And he will soon return in glory to take us home to
heaven.
Jesus is our portion forever. The word refers to the land given to each Israelite family when they entered
the promised land of Canaan. It was their allotted inheritance. Jesus is our portion forever. In heaven we
will see him face to face. There will be no more pain or sickness or death. We will leap like newborn calves
out of the stall. There will be perfect peace forever. And that peace starts right now through Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, be my Strength when earthly strength fails. In this new year, help me to comfort and
strengthen others with your Word.
Activity: Have each member of the family talk about a personal pain – physical or spiritual - that causes
them discouragement. The other members of the family offer Christian comfort and encouragement from
God’s Word.
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