14 day plan

The Gospel Centred Leadership

Day 8 of 14

NIV

Psalms 73:25-26

25Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever.

Reflection: Out of Control Desires

Granted there are many desires that are evil in and of themselves; often they are punishable by law. The desire to steal the property of others, for example, falls into this category. An overwhelming majority of our desires, however, are morally neutral.

Countless leaders are craving for things like peer respect, internal sense of achievement, status and prestige, financial wealth, multiple investment properties, or other things.

While these things are not evil in and of themselves, they can be evil when they become inordinate or out of control.

While the object of our desire is often neutral, it is the primacy of our desire which makes it lethal. The danger with our desires is not in our pursuit of them, but in being consumed by them.

While pursuing these desires makes us human, pursuing them above all else makes us diabolical. There is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to have health or wealth, but wanting it too much will tempt leaders to use any means necessary to achieve that end.

In fact, the things we perceive as God’s blessings in this world (health, success, respect) received without God will turn into curses, and the things we perceive as God’s curses (sickness, failure, rejection) received with God can turn into blessings.

That’s why God transforms us into the image of his Son through our desires. He does not kill or suppress our desires, but reorients them. Until our desires are supernaturally transformed by God, we will never know the superior pleasure that God promises his children.

Prayer:  Lord, I am sorry that I don’t love you for your sake, but truthfully, often love you for my sake. Save me, Lord, from being a ‘user’ who finds you useful for me, not a worshipper who finds you beautiful. Do whatever you need, Lord, to help me find you beautiful rather than useful, even if it means taking your blessings so I can get more of you.

Psalms 73:1-28

Book III

Psalms 73–89

Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.

1Surely God is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart.

2But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;

I had nearly lost my foothold.

3For I envied the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4They have no struggles;

their bodies are healthy and strong.

5They are free from common human burdens;

they are not plagued by human ills.

6Therefore pride is their necklace;

they clothe themselves with violence.

7From their callous hearts comes iniquity;

their evil imaginations have no limits.

8They scoff, and speak with malice;

with arrogance they threaten oppression.

9Their mouths lay claim to heaven,

and their tongues take possession of the earth.

10Therefore their people turn to them

and drink up waters in abundance.

11They say, “How would God know?

Does the Most High know anything?”

12This is what the wicked are like—

always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

13Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure

and have washed my hands in innocence.

14All day long I have been afflicted,

and every morning brings new punishments.

15If I had spoken out like that,

I would have betrayed your children.

16When I tried to understand all this,

it troubled me deeply

17till I entered the sanctuary of God;

then I understood their final destiny.

18Surely you place them on slippery ground;

you cast them down to ruin.

19How suddenly are they destroyed,

completely swept away by terrors!

20They are like a dream when one awakes;

when you arise, Lord,

you will despise them as fantasies.

21When my heart was grieved

and my spirit embittered,

22I was senseless and ignorant;

I was a brute beast before you.

23Yet I am always with you;

you hold me by my right hand.

24You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will take me into glory.

25Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever.

27Those who are far from you will perish;

you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28But as for me, it is good to be near God.

I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;

I will tell of all your deeds.