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This podcast is a production of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas, USA. Watermark exists to be and make more fully devoted followers of Christ, looking to God's Word as our only authority, conscience and guide.
I feel like I should introduce myself. My name is Timothy Ateek, and I do still work here. I want to make that clear. I do work here when I want to, and today is one of those days. I'm just joking. It's good to be back. I've missed you for the past several weeks. At the same time, I've been so encouraged that God has given this church both young men and seasoned leaders who can so effectively handle God's Word.
Over the past five weeks, I've watched some young leaders get up here and, with so much character and so much confidence, articulate God's truth really effectively. It gives me hope for the future of what God is doing in the world, because there are young leaders God is raising up who love him and love his truth, which is a really good thing.
I'm thankful that the elders gave me some time over the month of July to pull back and seek the Lord. I'm really excited about where God has us going this fall. There's so much good coming, and I hope you will get excited about it. We're going to work together to renew our city in the name of Jesus. We're going to resource the unreached world with God's Word. We're going to be talking eschatology, end times, in a few weeks when we get to Ezekiel and Daniel, so _that'll_ be a thing.
Most immediately, with the start of school happening for so many kids this coming Tuesday, we are starting 21 days of prayer for the next generation. So, if you want to text "NEXTGEN" to 40585, for the next 21 days, you can be a part of praying for the next generation. One of the reasons we're doing this is if you're a parent with kids, we want to help you pray intentionally and strategically for your kids.
If you don't have kids, you're invited into this as well. You can make an investment into the next generation by praying for them. This is a church family. We're all in this together. So, let's be a people who beg God over the next 21 days to do something miraculous in the kids of our church. There are so many good things coming.
Next Sunday, we're going to be jumping back into the _Year of the Word_. So, if you've been journeying with us, reading through the Bible, keep going. If you've fallen off, welcome back. It's time to jump back in. Stop trying to catch up. Consider yourself caught up. It's official. You're all caught up. Tomorrow, jump back in with us where we're at with Jeremiah.
One of the reasons I want to invite you back in if you've fallen off is that we're reading through the Major and Minor Prophets right now. These are the most neglected books in the Bible. These are the books people have the least exposure to, so it is a good thing for us to enter into these books and see what God has for us.
We're going to be jumping back in on Sundays to where we're at in the _Year of the Word_, but today, I just want to open up my heart, as one of your pastors, and share with you what God has been doing in my life over the past month. I'm going to do that by teaching through Psalm 63. So, if you have a Bible, I want to invite you there. I want to read Psalm 63, and then we'll pray and jump in. Here's what David writes.
**"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.**
**My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.**
**But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped."**
I just want to give you an opportunity to pray for yourself really quickly, like we do every Sunday. Just pause and pray and say, "God, would you speak to me this morning?" Then, would you pray for the people around you and say, "God, would you speak to my family, my friends, and the other people in this room? Would you speak to them as well?" Then, I want to ask you to pray for me and ask God to speak through me to you.
Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. I want to pray, Holy Spirit, that you would lead and guide our hearts and our minds into all truth. Would you glorify Christ this morning in our minds and in our hearts? God, we believe that you're here. I pray that there wouldn't be one person in this room who leaves today without having a meaningful encounter with the living God. Would you speak to us clearly? In Jesus' name, amen.
The first two weeks of my time away were much different than the last two weeks of my time away. The reason the first two weeks were different than the last two weeks was that right in the middle, on July 15, God reached in and disrupted or interrupted my time. The first two weeks of my time were marked by two things: productivity but also pressure.
It was first marked by productivity. I went into my time away feeling this responsibility and need to get stuff done. I felt like I needed to seek the Lord for vision for our church and to receive from him. And you know what? God was kind, and he did supply me with vision that I'm excited to share with the elders, the executive team, and ultimately with you. Yet with that productivity also came pressure, where I just had this constant weighty feeling, like, "I have so much I need to get done. There's so much I need to do during this short time that I have away."
Then, literally, on July 15, during my time with the Lord, God interrupted my month. Here's what I really sensed God saying to me on July 15. I sensed the Lord saying, "Hey, TA, right now you're seeking me as a pastor, and I need you to seek me as a child." What he was revealing to me, without me realizing it, was that my ministry was beginning to overtake my identity, and that was impacting my intimacy.
That really surprised me, because when I spend time with younger leaders, what I share with them is "Hey, guys, be careful, because your ministry isn't ultimately your identity. You have to work to keep those two things separate." Yet here I was, on July 15, where God was like, "I don't need you to be Pastor TA; I just need you to be child TA." What he was showing me was that I was seeking God to get something _from_ God instead of seeking God simply to get more _of_ God.
You might hear this and be like, "I think that makes you a not very good pastor." But during that time, it was really interesting. On July 15, I sensed that God was like, "I want you to put on hold praying for Watermark for a couple of weeks, because I just want you to focus on praying for your wife, praying for your kids, and praying for what I'm doing in your life. I want you to pray better for your wife and kids than you do even for Watermark," which was so interesting.
It was the kindness of God to unhitch me to a point where I could just seek him for him. During the last month, God opened up Psalm 63 to me. On July 15, I really sensed God was like, "Psalm 63…this is what it's about for the next couple of weeks." He reinforced two truths in my life that I want to invite you into, because if there's anything we need to have clarity on going into the fall, it's these two things.
You might hear these two things and be like, "Really? That's it? Take me deeper." If that's your initial response, I just want to say, if you hear these truths… Let me go ahead and share them with you. The first truth is this: _My greatest need is Jesus_, _and so is yours_. Do you know what the second one is? _My greatest satisfaction will be in Jesus_, _and so will yours_. That's it. You might hear that and be like, "I get that. What's next?" I just say, if that's your response, beg God right now to strip the calluses off your heart. Beg him to give you eyes to see what you're failing to see right now.
These aren't truths you get _over_; these are truths you get _under_. You live under the weight of these realities, not just for the fall but for your life. This is the Christian life. This is what it means to be a true follower of Jesus Christ: you live with consistent clarity that your greatest need is Jesus and your greatest satisfaction will be Jesus. Period. So, I just want to unpack that for you from Psalm 63.
1\. _My greatest need is Jesus_, _and so is yours_. Listen to what David says in Psalm 63:1. **"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."** It's helpful to understand when David is writing this. Most likely, David is writing this after he has been king for a long period of time and his son Absalom steals the throne from him.
There are two different times in David's life where he goes on the run. The first time is before he's king when Saul is chasing him down. The second time is when he has been king for a long time and his son Absalom steals the throne. Now, here's what I want you to realize. What that means is David is writing this at a time when he has already experienced more than anyone in this room has ever experienced. Here's what I mean by that.
David truly was the most powerful human being in the world. He always had an outlet for his sexual desires with his multiple wives and concubines. He had servants who attended to all of his needs. He lived in luxury that we can't touch. Women wrote songs about him and his victories. Women played the tambourine for him. There is not a man in this room who has a woman who will play the tambourine for him. He was on a whole different level.
Yet, at a moment in time, his son steals the throne, and all of that gets stripped away from David. As David is in a moment where everything has been stripped away, what is he declaring his need is? His need is for God's presence, God's nearness, and God's love. His greatest need isn't a change in circumstance; it's a change in proximity. He doesn't need a change in circumstance; he just needs greater closeness. He must have God.
**"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."** Think about Christopher Walken in the part of Bruce Dickinson in the famous _Saturday Night Live_ skit "More Cowbell." What does he declare? He says, "I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell." This is David saying, "I've got a fever, and the only prescription for that fever is more of God. That's what I long for. That's what I need. What I need is more of God." He's declaring, "My greatest need is God."
I love the picture he paints. It's a very vivid picture. He paints a picture of basically being in a desert. He's like, "Look. That's what it's like. It's to be in a dry and waterless land." That word in the Hebrew that has been translated _dry_ can mean drought or desert. So, picture cracked ground. It's dusty. Imagine not being able to see any signs of civilization as far as the eye can see. There's no water. His lips are cracked. Whenever he breathes, you hear wheezing because of how dry the inside of his mouth and throat are.
Just imagine being at the point where you collapse on the ground. You're on the brink of death. In that moment, it is indisputable. The only thing you need in that moment is fluid. It's water. If you're in that situation and someone air-drops a million dollars and flies off, it is worthless. If someone sends down a note that says, "Congratulations! You are now the CEO of a Fortune 500 company," it is worthless in that moment. Just think about how much more valuable water is than any amount of money or possession that you ultimately won't be able to use if you're dead.
David is saying, "That's you, God. You are water. There is nothing in all the world that I need except you." I think it's really important to note this. If you're tuned out, welcome back. I need you to hear this. It's very important to realize that David isn't longing for God's provision as much as David is longing for God's presence. Those are actually two different things. It's one thing to seek God to get something _from_ God; it's another thing to seek God simply to get God.
David's greatest longing isn't to get something from God; it is to get God. Here's how I know that. Listen to what 2 Samuel, chapter 15, says, which describes the story of David going on the run. Here's what it says: **"And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city."**
Let me explain what's happening here. David is fleeing from Absalom. He is running out of town. There's a group of people who are going with him. Because King David is leaving the city, the Levites go and grab the ark of the covenant. The ark of the covenant represents the favor of God and the presence of God. So, they're like, "Okay. Well, surely the ark goes with David. That's just a given. Wherever David is going, the ark goes." Listen to what David says. Verse 25:
**"Then the king said to Zadok, 'Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it** \[the ark\] **and his dwelling place** \[the tabernacle\]**. But if he says, "I have no pleasure in you," behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.'"**
What's David's greatest need? He's like, "Look. My greatest hope is that God would bring me back to simply be with him. It's to be near to the ark again. It's to be in his tabernacle again." His greatest need isn't God's provision; it's God's presence. So, that's good for you to evaluate really quickly. What is your greatest need?
During my first two weeks away, now that I have hindsight, I was living like my greatest need was vision, vision from God. The reality is my greatest need wasn't vision _from_ God; it was actually satisfaction and joy _in_ God. What's your greatest need? If you want to know, just check your search history. What does it show you think you need?
When you think about the algorithm on your social media platforms, what do they have dialed in for you because you have been living in a way that communicates "This is what I need most"? Is it for your kids to go back to school? You're like, "Enough is enough. I need a break. That's what I need." Is it to make more money so you can afford the trips your friends have been posting about from this summer? Is it a better sex life? Is it a job or a better job? Is it relief from physical pain?
Here's what I want to be clear on: these are legitimate needs. It's okay to want these things. I'm not trying to discount them, but here is what I'm trying to communicate, so don't miss it: whatever your immediate need is, it is not your ultimate need. Your ultimate need is different than your immediate need. More than you need God's hand, you need God's face. More than we need God's gifts, we need God. More than we need God's provision, we need God's presence. That's what I'm trying to drive at.
It makes sense, because David is the one who writes Psalm 63, but he's also the one who wrote the most famous chapter in the Bible, Psalm 23. What does he say there? **"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…"** His greatest need in the valley of the shadow of death isn't rescue from the valley; it's the presence of God who will lead him through the valley. My greatest need is Jesus, and so is yours.
2\. _My greatest satisfaction will be in Jesus_, _and so will yours_. There's a move in the psalm. If you watch what takes place, there's a move from desperation to satisfaction. God's presence hasn't just met David's need; it has met his want. I was talking to my good friend Kylen Perry, who's the executive director of The Porch. By the way, if you're a young adult here and you don't go to The Porch on Tuesdays, let me encourage you to change your plans. Kat and I were there this Tuesday. Something incredible is happening on Tuesday nights in the lives of young adults, and I want you to be a part of it.
I was talking with Kylen about Psalm 63, and Kylen just has a way of putting things. I love what he said. He said, "For David, God wasn't just enough; he was better. God didn't just sustain David; he satisfied David." It's one thing to know God as being sufficient; it's another thing to know God as being satisfying.
Just think about it. If on our anniversary I were to take Kat to a really fancy dinner and, during the dinner, I were to lean into some public display of affection, and I were to put not just one hand across the table but two (you know those people who use two hands), and she were to lock hands with me, and then I were to be like, "Kat, I want you to look at me. Okay. Look at me. Look at me. I'm the captain…" No, just kidding.
But if I were to say, "Let me just look into your eyes. Here's what I want you to hear from me as I think about our 19 years of marriage. Here's what I've realized: you're sufficient," what do you think she would feel in that moment? Like, "Let me say back to you what I think you're saying to me." What I'd be communicating is "I've decided you'll work. You're good enough."
It's another thing for me to look at her and say, "Kat, here's what I've realized: you are satisfying. I am so satisfied in you. There is not one ounce of restlessness or desire for anyone or anything else. You satisfy me." Those are two different things. Here's the thing. I believe so many people in this church know Jesus Christ to be sufficient.
If you live in this broken and busted world long enough, it's going to beat you up enough to bring you to a place where you're like, "Jesus, you truly are what I need. If I don't have you, I don't have anything." He's going to meet you in some of the lowest moments, and you're going to realize, "You really are enough. You really are sufficient." That's an amazing realization, but I think so many people stop at Jesus being sufficient when, in reality, Jesus is worthy of being our greatest desire, because he's not just sufficient; he's satisfying.
This is what we see in David. Verse 3: **"Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you."** Do you hear what he's saying there? He doesn't say, "Your love is better than aspects of life." He says, "Your love is better. If you take your love away from me, I would rather die." He's saying, "Your love is actually better than every aspect of life."
So, let's just clarify. In this statement, he's declaring, "Your love is better than anything within the realm of human experience. It's better than wealth. It is better than sex. It is better than success or recognition or fame. It's better than a comfortable life. It's better than a new gaming system. Your love is better than life." Why? "You are satisfying."
Verse 5: **"My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips…"** The picture here is David saying, "God, let me just tell you what you're like. You're like the meal that ends all meals." During July, Kat and I had the opportunity, just for a special occasion, to go to one of our favorite restaurants in Dallas. It's the type of place where you order several different things that you share. Everything that came to the table is one of those things where you dread getting full because of how much you enjoy every bite.
We found ourselves asking the question, "What did you like best?" It's like, "Well, I liked _that_, and I liked _that_, and I definitely liked _that_, and I liked _that_, and I liked _that_." That's what David is saying. He's like, "God, that's what you are to me. You're the meal that ends all meals. That's what you are to my soul. Being with you is the height of joy and deep satisfaction." That informs how he talks. He says, "My mouth will praise you with joyful lips."
Verse 7: **"…you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy."** Do you see it? David is satisfied and joyful. _Satisfied_ and _joyful_. Those are words that I want to mark my life. When people think of Timothy Ateek, what a failure if the words people think are like, "Man, he's stressed out a lot. He's weighed down a lot. He's distracted a lot." I want people to be like, "That guy seems satisfied. He's joyful. He's satisfied." Those are words that I want to mark my life. Those are words that I want to mark every person, every member of this church.
Just think. When there's a critical mass of people who are satisfied and joyful, we become a compelling community, a captivating community, where an unbelieving world looks into our lives and are clear. "You have something I want. I don't know what it is, but what you have I need." So, let me just ask you. Check the dashboard of your life really quickly. Where is your joy gauge at right now?
Last night, my son Noah and I were watching the new John Krasinski movie. I don't know if I'd recommend it because we haven't finished it, but there was one scene that I was like, "This is so fitting for the message tomorrow." There's an 11-year-old boy who's eating with a billionaire. The 11-year-old boy is like, "Can I press a little? Can I ask you some honest questions?"
The billionaire is like, "Sure." So, the boy says, "Are you rich?" He's like, "Yeah." He's like, "Do you have a boat?" He's like, "Yeah." He's like, "Do you have a plane?" He was like, "You just rode on my plane, but I've actually got more than just _that_ plane. That was actually the small plane. I've got an even bigger plane."
He's like, "Okay. How wealthy are you? Does your wealth start with a _B_?" Meaning, "Are you a billionaire?" The guy was like, "Yes." Then the 11-year-old boy says, "Are you satisfied?" Do you know what he said? "Of course not. Of course not." My question to you is…_Are you satisfied?_ Are you joyful? What _are_ you? Are you stressed out? Are you distracted? Are you restless?
For the month of July, I took a break from all social media. When August came, I logged back on, and I was having one of those lazy Saturdays where I was just kind of scrolling. As I was scrolling, I found myself feeling more and more restless and empty. It was this feeling of, "I'm looking for something that's going to kind of hook me, and it doesn't exist, because I've tasted the only one who can truly satisfy what my soul longs for."
I found myself just scrolling endlessly, and it was this realization. It was like I knew so well that I was searching for something I had already previously found in Jesus and only Jesus. Like, just something to get enjoyment. It was like, "It doesn't exist where I'm looking right now. Satisfaction is only found in Jesus."
So, let me ask you…Is that your experience in life in general, where you're consistently scrolling through life, restlessly looking for something that's going to hook you and satisfy you and fill a void in you? Just think. What is the key to your happiness? If we were to look at the way you're living, what would be obvious to us in terms of what you believe is the key to your happiness? What needs to happen in your life for you to truly be satisfied and joyful?
Right now, I'm not asking what you need; I'm asking, ultimately, what your greatest want is. Is it to feel significant and successful? Is it to feel loved? Is it to be at peace in life? Is it to feel wanted or whole? Here is what I need you to hear. Do not miss this. Your greatest joy is waiting for you when your deepest hunger finds its truest satisfaction. You have been made for Jesus. You will only be satisfied when you discover fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore in Jesus.
So, those are the two realizations God was reinforcing that I'm inviting you into. My greatest need is Jesus, and so is yours. My greatest satisfaction will be in Jesus, and so will yours. So, now I simply want to answer the question…_How do we get more of Jesus?_ It starts with us having correct theology. It would be unhelpful for me to look at you and be like, "Just be like David. Be more desperate. Be more hungry for God. Be more satisfied in God." That would actually be encouraging moralism in your life. That message is a message of "Do better. Try harder. Jump higher."
We have to understand that David was imperfect. His dependence upon God was imperfect. His satisfaction in God was imperfect, and it led to catastrophic sin in his life. Jesus is the greater or perfect David. We have to understand that only Jesus perfectly loved God. Only Jesus perfectly depended upon God. Only Jesus perfectly was satisfied in God and perfectly accomplished God's will through his death, burial, and resurrection for your sin and for mine.
Because of what Christ has done, he has made a way through faith for us to receive his Spirit. Now the Holy Spirit lives inside of us, and what the Spirit of God does is gives us a new capacity to grow in our need of Jesus and our satisfaction in him. Everything we're talking about right now in terms of getting more of Jesus is only made possible through the work of the Spirit of God in our lives. How do we get more of Jesus?
1\. _Identify and clarify your god_. David says, **"O God, you are my God…"** I want everyone to say that out loud right now. Just everyone at the same time say, "O God, you are my God." Okay. When you said that, did it feel authentic? Did it seem like it was a statement that was actually true about you?
Maybe, when you say, "Oh," instead of it being an expression of adoration, it needs to be an expression of surprise. Like, "Oh, money, you are my god. Oh, sex, you are my god. Oh, recognition and appreciation is my god. Oh, I didn't realize my kids are actually my god. Oh, my girlfriend or boyfriend is my god."
See, a good place to start is just to say, "O God, you are my God." It's to say, "Jesus, you alone deserve to sit on the throne of my life. Only you are worthy of my worship. Only you deserve to be in the place of having sovereign rule and authority of my life, and only you are worthy of all of my affection and devotion."
2\. _Gaze instead of glance at Jesus_. This is language A.W. Tozer used. David says in verse 2, **"So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory."** That idea of looking upon means an intent in discerning contemplation. David is recalling a time when he went into the tabernacle and saw different things in the tabernacle that reminded him of God's power and glory.
Imagine going into the tabernacle and being reminded of the sacrificial system, and the sacrificial system informed David's understanding of the grace, forgiveness, and provision of God. Imagine being reminded of the ark of the covenant that would go with Israel out into the battle, what signified God's presence and power. We have to realize Jesus is the fulfillment of the tabernacle and everything in it.
Jesus is the perfect sacrifice who, through his death, burial, and resurrection, has made a way for us to experience permanent forgiveness for all of our sin. Not just that. He's Immanuel, God with us. He is the one who went out from heaven to battle with Satan, sin, and death, and he secured victory for you and me so we could be set free from slavery to sin. When you begin to gaze at Jesus, and you're reminded of who he is and what he has done, it increases worship.
In July, Kat, the boys, and I had a unique, special opportunity to go to Europe with my dad. It was a really sweet trip. One thing I was reminded of on our trip… Some of y'all are going to judge me for this. I can handle it. I'm okay with that. What I was reminded of is that I am not a museum person. I'm just not. I walk into a museum, and I'm like, "Okay. Cool. Looks great. I'm sure that was important. Okay. Where's a bench?" Any room I walk into, I'm always looking to make sure I know where the closest bench is. I'll sit down and be like, "I'll be over _here_."
When we were in Paris, we went to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. You walk into this cathedral, which we waited in line to get into. It is a sight to see. There's this magnificent mosaic of the resurrected, exalted Christ. Do you know what my tendency was? It was to walk in and be like, "Okay. It's great. It's a mosaic of Jesus. Got some pictures of Jesus around here. Okay, cool." That's my tendency. "Where's the bench?" It's just to glance.
When I think about it, that is just the natural tendency. It's the natural tendency in the Christian life. It's to wake up and be like, "Okay. Yep. Jesus, I see you. Okay, great. Let me just read this. I just have a few minutes. Here's the verse of the day from the Bible app. Okay. Yep. That's great. Jesus, I see you. Cool. Okay. Yep. Uh, saw this sermon clip. That's really powerful. That's important. Okay, cool. Jesus, I see you." We just want to live off of glances. We just want to glance at Jesus.
Here's the thing. I've said this before. No one's love story was like, "You know what? We didn't even know each other's names. We just said 'hello' while passing each other every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the college campus, and now we've been married for 30 years." That's no one's story. No one falls in love just based off of glances, yet you wonder why you don't feel more for God. It's because love doesn't grow off of glances.
It was interesting. As we began to walk around the Sacré-Coeur, I was like, "I need to be a good dad in this moment," because I was like, "My kids are feeding off my energy. I just want to glance, so _they_ just want to glance." So, I pulled my boys in. I was like, "Okay, guys. You know what? In our day and age, we have to fight, because it's really hard to be impressed or amused, period." This is when things began to click for me. I was like, "Somebody believed it was worth the time to take every single stone and place it in place for this mosaic." I found out later it took 23 years to assemble this magnificent mosaic.
Then, as I begin to sit there with my boys, and we began to unpack what's in the mosaic… There's a depiction of God the Father, there's God the Holy Son in the form of a dove, there's the exalted Christ, and then there are all of these different people worshiping him. It was just a reminder to me that the more you gaze, the more you see; the more you see, the more you behold; the more you behold, the more you worship; and the more you worship, the more satisfaction you experience. You have to gaze instead of glance.
David goes on. In verse 5, he says, **"My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night…"** David is talking about lying in bed thinking about God. It's interesting. If you were to rewind to verse 1, he says, **"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you…"** In the Hebrew, that word can also mean "_Early_ I seek you." It's as if David is saying you seek God first thing and last thing and everything in between.
The first night we got to Europe, I laid awake because of jet lag from 12:00 to 4:00. For the first little bit, it was like, "I just want to go back to sleep." Then I found myself like, "Okay. Well, if I'm awake, let's just…" So, I began to think about God. I just began to sit with God. I began to listen to God. It was so incredibly sweet, because the Spirit of God began to give me these vivid pictures to pray for my kids. It honestly changed the way I've prayed for my kids over the last few weeks.
I found myself like, "This is true satisfaction, just to be with God. I don't need anything from him, but just to be with him." I want more of that. I want more wasting time with Jesus. I want more of just being with him, because to be with him is to be satisfied in him. I've tried to tinker with my rhythms to where it's like, "Okay. What does it look like to have meaningful time with the Lord in the morning? What does it look like to have meaningful time in the middle of the day? What does it look like to have meaningful time on the drive home or in the evening?" Just to give God my entire day.
It's possible that you need to start some new rhythms, because here's the reality. Maybe you're sitting there like, "Man, I read my Bible every day." That's not what I'm talking about. Reading the Bible is so important, but here's what I'll tell you: if reading isn't leading to beholding, then there's some spiritual illiteracy in your life. You might be good at reading physically, but spiritually, you don't know how to read. Scholar Jim Hamilton said we are what we contemplate.
David's thoughts are of God, of his desirability, of his incomparable love, of the way he satisfies the soul, of his protection, and of his upholding right hand. What we think about bears fruit in what we do. So, my thing is this: If you're reading, is reading leading to beholding? Are you contemplating as you read? The more you contemplate, the more you see. The more you see, the more you're going to be satisfied.
3\. _Talk about Jesus and sing about Jesus until you worship Jesus_. David says in verse 3, **"Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands."** There's a reason we end every service by simply saying, "Hey, have a great week of worship." Worship isn't just singing songs; worship is a lifestyle.
So, maybe you need to talk about Jesus until you worship Jesus during the week. Maybe you need to sing to Jesus until you start worshiping Jesus. Here's what I've realized: the most enjoyable people to be around are the most worshipful people. Have you noticed that? It's the people who are most convinced about what God is actually doing.
One thing I've noticed in my life is when people ask me how things are going, my tendency is to first talk about the things that are wrong instead of the things that are right. "How are you doing?" "Well, man, it has been a busy week. There's just a lot going on right now." That's what's wrong. What's right? "The God of the universe met with me today." Start there.
Talk about what he _is_ doing, because here's what you'll find: the more you talk about what God is doing, the more you will love God. That's just the way it works. The more you talk about him, the more you realize how he's at work. The more you realize how he's at work, the more convinced you are of how satisfying he truly is.
Then, sing until you worship. Anytime you come in here, don't just sing…worship. Some of you have gone the entire morning, and you've sung a lot but worshiped little. I'm convinced the reason so many people leave here during the song after the sermon is because, to you, it's just one more song to sing instead of one more opportunity to worship the living God. Kat and I were at The Porch on Tuesday. Young adults, y'all might need to teach us how to worship here on Sundays. We need your help. He's worthy of worship.
I'll close by saying this: My greatest need is Jesus, and so is yours. My greatest satisfaction will be in Jesus, and so will yours. So, this fall, may Jesus not just be who we need but may he be who we want. If you're here today, and you don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you have to start with your need. You need Jesus. You can't do life in this world on your own. You can't make yourself right with a perfect God on your own. You need Jesus.
Here's the good news for you. Do you know who Jesus doesn't need? _You_. Do you know who Jesus doesn't need? _Me_. But he wants us. He doesn't need us, but he wants us so much he left heaven, came to earth, died sacrificially, and rose victoriously, making a way when there was no way for you and me to be with God for all of eternity.
If you know Jesus Christ, let me just remind you: Jesus isn't just sufficient; he's satisfying. He's satisfying. He isn't just what you need; he's worthy of being your greatest desire. I just want to invite you right now to pray and say, "Lord Jesus, I need you and I want you." Just tell him that. "I need you and I want you." If you don't know Jesus, just tell him, "Jesus, I need you. I need you to save me."
Lord Jesus, give us eyes to see you more clearly by the power of your Spirit. Teach us to gaze upon you. Teach us to talk about you and sing to you in worship of you. You're worthy, God. You're worthy of our greatest desire. You're worthy of all of our affection. We need you, and we want you. We bless your name. In Jesus' name, amen.