WHOM I HAVE IN HEAVEN BUT THEE!

WHOM HAVE I IN HEAVEN

BUT THEE!

As I was out in my favorite chair this morning after a restless night, the Lord reminded me of this scripture, the one I base my life on and especially now in the midst of this cancer battle, I have no one in heaven or on earth to depend on more than my Precious Lord. And I hope as I share this scripture with you will find yourself in the same kind of situations, and I will depart from my usual song up front and close it with a song instead.

Nevertheless I am continually with Thee:

Thou hast holden me by my right hand.

Thou shalt guide me with Thy

Counsel, and afterward receive me to

Glory.

Whom have I in heaven but

Thee? And there is none upon earth

That I desire beside Thee.

My flesh and my heart faileth:

But God is the strength of my heart,

And my portion forever.

Psalm 73:23-26

This portion of scripture is marked in my Bible as my “Life Verse.” It has blessed me through many struggles over the years. I am always with Him, as He has said in Hebrews 13:8, “I will never leave you for forsake you.”  And He says He holds me by my right hand. As we walk together down this life road together, He never lets go of my right hand. Sometimes I just hold it out wanting to feel Him squeezing my fingers, as my husband often does in the physical realm. Can you relate to that? Just put out your right hand and by faith feel  Him holding your hand as you walk the path with Jesus.

He promises to guide me with His counsel, but I don’t always listen. It sometimes takes extra time in His Word and prayer to hear that sweet voice. But He promises to always guide us with His counsel. I accepted Jesus as a 10 year old and  remember how I sought Him in His Word with that little Bible that was given me and witnessed to my schoolmates on the playground, which children can’t do that now, so sad! And I have His promise after He has guided me, counseled me, given me His Word to preach, which I did a couple of weeks ago in spite of being sick from chemotherapy. And when this life is over and I have done what He has called me to do and depended on Him for His counsel, He will receive me to glory in Heaven, oh what a day to look forward to! Do you have that promise from Him?

I have many loved ones here, and even have some brothers and sisters in Africa that are praying for my healing. And I will never meet some of them this side of heaven. But I have my Lord in heaven and He and I can share our deepest thoughts. I can share with Him things on my heart that no one on earth would understand. Oh, I have a wonderful  husband and family, but He is the only one I desire so deeply to share my heart with, and He keeps secrets!

My heart and my flesh my fail. In fact death will come to all of us, unless He comes for His church in the clouds soon. And right now my flesh feels like it is failing, as I age and lose the capabilities I once had. My feet are getting slow, ears don’t hear so well and such and fighting another battle with cancer.

But God is the strength of my life and my portion forever, and until that time comes when He calls me home my heart will go on singing with great joy.

UNTIL THEN

My heart can sing when I pause to remember,

A heartache here is but a stepping stone

Along a trail that’s winding always upwards,

This troubled world is not my final home.

But until then my heart will go on singing,

Until then with joy I’ll carry on,

Until the day my eyes behold the city,

Until the day God calls me home.

The things of earth will dim and lose their value

If we recall they’re borrowed for awhile;

And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble,

Remembered there will only bring a smile.

This weary world with all its toil and struggle

May take its toll of misery and strife;

The soul of man is like a waiting falcon,

When its released it’s destined for the skies.

Stuart Hamblin (1908-1989)

In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon