"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." Lamentations 3:22-24 (NIV)
When I was in college my favorite shampoo was called "Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific." It was a good shampoo and my hair was left with a pleasant scent but my reason for ever trying it in the first place was that I was attracted by the advertising.
Do we buy certain brands of macaroni, peanut butter or bologna because they are really the best or because we have fallen prey to how they are presented in the media? How about the car we drive? Or the perfume we wear?
We are bombarded by messages on television, in magazines and online that are meant to spark a desire within us to purchase specific products. We are led to believe that our lives will be better if we live in certain neighborhoods, wear brand-name clothing, shop in more upscale stores or adorn ourselves with expensive jewelry. Even our children are targeted by ads. Retailers know that children will be enticed by new products, such as breakfast cereal or toys, and thereby influence their parents to obtain them.
This world is full of things that grab our attention and lead us to forget that our sustenance and our joy come from elsewhere. No matter how many earthly "treasures" we secure, our hearts will still remain empty.
Several Christian artists have recorded a song entitled "Give Me Jesus." One of the lines of the chorus says, "You can have all this world, just give me Jesus." What I love about this song is that it acknowledges that only through the Savior can the holes in our hearts be filled. Nothing this world offers will ever provide the fullness that He does.
One of the benefits of age is that we have years of experience to look back upon. We can see in a mental glance all the times we thought our lives would be perfect if only we had this or that. And maybe we did have a temporary happiness from whatever it was we tried but it only lasted until the next latest and greatest offer grabbed our fancy.
Today's verse says, "The Lord is my portion." Everything earthly will pass away. All that will last forever is our salvation through Jesus Christ and the relationship we have with Him. When we enter the gates of Heaven, we will do so with empty hands but our hearts will be filled to overflowing by the gifts that only He can bestow.
All we need comes through our Lord. He has promised to provide for our needs during our time on this globe. We need not fret nor compare ourselves to those around us. He is our eternal portion. True satisfaction and fulfillment come through Him.
May your day be blessed by His presence, His love, His grace and His mercy.
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