Psalm 73:25-26 NIV
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
In the same way that mankind holds different and varying degrees of authority on earth, heaven has an even greater order and structure. The ranks of authority there vary, each perfectly respected, with the Lord Jesus being the most highly exalted. (Php 2:9). In what sounds like a piece from David’s divine insights about the Messiah, he said, “For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the mighty [heavenly beings] can be likened to the Lord. A God greatly feared and revered in the council of the holy (angelic) ones, and to be feared and worshipfully revered above all those who are round about Him?” (Psa 89:6-7 AMPC). Hallelujah! Yes, the Lord is all by Himself, highly exalted.
In light of the salvation that God has granted us in Christ, it is to our advantage that Jesus is highly exalted. As for the Psalmist, he had observed that nothing apart from the Lord could be the greatest longing of his heart. He said to the Lord, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever”, as in our text. Hallelujah! In heaven, Jesus is our Advocate (1 Joh 2:1), Intercessor (Rom 8:34), Mediator (1 Tim 2:5), and our merciful High Priest (Heb 4:14-15), among others. Our hope of life eternal with the Father is only Christ Jesus.
Here on earth, like the Psalmist who desired nothing apart from the Lord, our best longings ought to be the same. In so doing, though our hearts may get weighed down for whatever reason, God will still be “the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Thankfully, by the Holy Spirit, the same Christ Jesus lives in us, here on earth (1 Joh 4:13). Yes, the Spirit of God is now applying to us what the Father promised His Son concerning us. That said, therefore, be it in heaven or here on earth, Jesus is so central and our everything regarding all that the Father has for us. No wonder, Jesus Himself said, “…without Me you can do nothing” (Joh 15:5 NKJV). On the other hand, however, “Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus” (2 Cor 1:20 MSG) for our good!
Pst. Emmanuel
