I have been on holidays! It was a great time to relax and enjoy island life on Magnetic Island. There was plenty to do for a guy like me – walking, snorkeling, reading, eating and having coffees everyday – and then of course there was time with Jan and my best friends too. I read a great book as well called ‘Double Cross’ that recorded the events leading up to D-Day in the Second World War. It was all about the work of double agent spies and how they deceived the Germans into believing that the invasion would be at locations other than Normandy. Truly a great read! Before I left for holidays, Pastor Ernest gave me a book to read too … but I did not read it until the last day! To be honest, I was stupidly having a holiday from the daily spiritual disciplines so necessary for the life of the Christian! I even talked about this with Jan and she just looked at me with ‘raised eye brows’!
I am so glad that I finally picked up this book to read. To be truthful, I could not put it down and completed it while taxying up to the terminal in Sydney. It was a book on Psalms titled ‘God is Enough’ by a Sydney minister called Ray Galea. He looked at ten Psalms and I found great encouragement in his insights into the writings of David, Asaph (the Choir leader) and Moses. Holidays often cause me to think about how other people live, and in particular, how successful from a financial perspective they are compared to me. Often I sink into spiritual dryness and find it difficult in coming back to my joyful self in realizing just how blessed I am in Jesus. This book reminded me all that I have in Jesus. I agree with Ray in how the words of Asaph in Psalm 73: 25 are so true. “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you”. This leads me to want to praise God for who He is and what He does for me daily!
Today’s Psalm is a good one (of course)! David reflects on how wonderful God is and begins by exalting God’s name. He then provides a testimony as to how God answered his call as he sought Him through times of trial and affliction. What I find so helpful in this Psalm is the counsel David provides to us when we find ourselves in times of difficulty and spiritual dryness. Simply put, he counsels us to seek the Lord; to step out in faith and taste and see how good He is; to find refuge in Him as we lay our difficulties before Him and to fear Him as we realize just who our God is and as we do this we will find that we lack nothing. Great advice for people like us … or more truthfully people like me!