1 00:00:02,650 --> 00:00:04,359 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,450 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're glad to have you 3 00:00:13,490 --> 00:00:16,770 Speaker 2: listening with us. Today's topic is about seeing the Lord 4 00:00:16,850 --> 00:00:20,790 Speaker 2: as our portion and our very great reward. We'll return 5 00:00:20,810 --> 00:00:23,620 Speaker 2: with the devotional after a brief message from our sponsors. 6 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 2: Life was going well, and I had been assigned to 7 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,210 Speaker 2: write an article called Ten Ways Your Life Looks Different 8 00:00:44,010 --> 00:00:47,070 Speaker 2: When God Is Your Portion. I read through every verse 9 00:00:47,090 --> 00:00:49,610 Speaker 2: in the Bible about God being our portion, our refuge, 10 00:00:49,650 --> 00:01:08,020 Speaker 2: and our reward. and I prayed that God would make 11 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 2: me a person who saw Him as my portion. As 12 00:01:12,060 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 2: I was writing the article, I also prayed for insight 13 00:01:14,660 --> 00:01:18,390 Speaker 2: about the hurts and disappointments people would be experiencing as 14 00:01:18,430 --> 00:01:20,890 Speaker 2: they read the article, so it would be a comfort 15 00:01:20,970 --> 00:01:23,690 Speaker 2: and encouragement to them. I thought of my mother who 16 00:01:23,730 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 2: was sinking into depression as her husband was sinking deeper 17 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: into the disease of Alzheimer's. I thought of a reader 18 00:01:31,220 --> 00:01:33,670 Speaker 2: who had just lost a dear friend. I thought of 19 00:01:33,730 --> 00:01:36,230 Speaker 2: someone who may just be receiving the news that they'd 20 00:01:36,270 --> 00:01:40,190 Speaker 2: lost their long-time job. God, give me your words that 21 00:01:40,270 --> 00:01:43,069 Speaker 2: people will most need to read for their hearts to 22 00:01:43,110 --> 00:01:46,589 Speaker 2: be encouraged, I prayed. I turned in the article and 23 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: didn't think about it for a couple of weeks, until 24 00:01:49,340 --> 00:01:52,620 Speaker 2: the day came that the article was published. I read 25 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,420 Speaker 2: through it once again, emailed a link of the article 26 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,140 Speaker 2: to my mom so she could read it, and prayed 27 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,500 Speaker 2: that everyone who encountered it would be encouraged. And then 28 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,950 Speaker 2: it happened. I received an email that same morning with 29 00:02:05,090 --> 00:02:08,590 Speaker 2: devastating news, and in an instant I knew God had 30 00:02:08,650 --> 00:02:12,530 Speaker 2: arranged for that article to encourage me. He was using 31 00:02:12,630 --> 00:02:15,250 Speaker 2: all those verses I had read and studied earlier in 32 00:02:15,310 --> 00:02:17,910 Speaker 2: order to write that article to not just help others, 33 00:02:18,610 --> 00:02:20,750 Speaker 2: but to move me to a place where I saw 34 00:02:20,850 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 2: Him as my ultimate reward. When life was going well, 35 00:02:24,900 --> 00:02:27,459 Speaker 2: it was easy to think that I was already seeing 36 00:02:27,500 --> 00:02:30,530 Speaker 2: God as my portion. But when I had lost something 37 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 2: dear to me, I suddenly had to take inventory of 38 00:02:34,060 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 2: what was most important. Immediately, the lessons I wrote about 39 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,180 Speaker 2: came to my mind. Because the Lord is my portion, 40 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,619 Speaker 2: I don't need to worry about my provision, my future, 41 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,019 Speaker 2: or whether or not I had an inheritance. Because the 42 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,460 Speaker 2: Lord is my refuge, I can feel safe in His care, 43 00:02:51,580 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 2: regardless of uncertainties. Because He is my reward, I can 44 00:02:55,980 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 2: find contentment in life, and focus on my blessings, not 45 00:03:00,540 --> 00:03:03,139 Speaker 2: my burdens and the things I seem to be losing. 46 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,990 Speaker 2: And because He is my portion and my very great reward, 47 00:03:07,550 --> 00:03:10,890 Speaker 2: I can surrender the need to succeed and find my 48 00:03:11,030 --> 00:03:15,470 Speaker 2: identity in Him, not in what I do. Tears came 49 00:03:15,530 --> 00:03:17,889 Speaker 2: to my eyes as I realized that more than needing 50 00:03:17,970 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 2: the good news I was expecting in that email, God 51 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,519 Speaker 2: knew I needed to see Him as my portion and 52 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:31,060 Speaker 2: my very great reward. Intersecting Faith and Life What would 53 00:03:31,100 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 2: you consider your greatest reward? Is it your children and grandchildren? 54 00:03:35,500 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 2: Is it the legacy you've worked for all your life? 55 00:03:39,900 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 2: Is it the retirement that awaits you or the commendation 56 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 2: you waited years to earn? Is it your ministry or 57 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,410 Speaker 2: the satisfaction you feel after serving others or bringing about 58 00:03:49,490 --> 00:03:53,250 Speaker 2: some good for someone? God's Word is true when it 59 00:03:53,290 --> 00:03:55,610 Speaker 2: tells us we will only find the desires of our 60 00:03:55,670 --> 00:04:00,470 Speaker 2: hearts when if we delight ourselves in the Lord. And Asaph, 61 00:04:00,510 --> 00:04:03,650 Speaker 2: the psalmist, knew the true rewards of this life when 62 00:04:03,710 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 2: he sang these words to his maker and sustainer in 63 00:04:07,140 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 2: Psalm 73, verses 25 and 26. Whom do I have 64 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,300 Speaker 2: in heaven but you? And with you I desire nothing 65 00:04:15,380 --> 00:04:18,620 Speaker 2: on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but 66 00:04:18,670 --> 00:04:22,930 Speaker 2: God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 67 00:04:23,820 --> 00:04:27,210 Speaker 2: When the Lord becomes your greatest treasure and reward, you 68 00:04:27,230 --> 00:04:31,370 Speaker 2: will never find yourself lacking. Thank you, Lord God, for 69 00:04:31,430 --> 00:04:35,029 Speaker 2: loving us so much. You know what we need eternally, 70 00:04:35,550 --> 00:04:38,690 Speaker 2: not just temporarily. Help us to see you as our 71 00:04:38,770 --> 00:04:42,730 Speaker 2: greatest portion and our most treasured reward, and may we 72 00:04:42,790 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: be satisfied with nothing less. For further study, see Psalm 16. 73 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 2: For daily encouragement in seeing the Lord as your portion, 74 00:04:52,910 --> 00:04:56,450 Speaker 2: See my book, The New Loneliness Devotional, 50 Days to 75 00:04:56,490 --> 00:04:58,250 Speaker 2: a Closer Connection with God. 76 00:05:02,620 --> 00:05:05,580 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 77 00:05:05,620 --> 00:05:07,700 Speaker 1: you heard today, we want to make sure you know 78 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:11,700 Speaker 1: about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. When you follow 79 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,060 Speaker 1: Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get 80 00:05:15,100 --> 00:05:18,230 Speaker 1: a brand new prayer and devotional each day, so your 81 00:05:18,270 --> 00:05:21,870 Speaker 1: days begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to 82 00:05:21,930 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: grow in prayer or start your day with your heart 83 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: focused on the right things, search for Your Daily Prayer 84 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: in your favorite podcast app and be sure to follow 85 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,010 Speaker 1: the show so you get a new prayer delivered straight 86 00:05:35,089 --> 00:05:36,490 Speaker 1: to you each morning. 87 00:05:43,630 --> 00:05:47,089 Speaker 3: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 88 00:05:47,130 --> 00:05:50,820 Speaker 3: something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly 89 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,770 Speaker 3: newsletter built for people who want to go a little 90 00:05:53,810 --> 00:05:59,630 Speaker 3: deeper in their faith. Thank devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations, 91 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,940 Speaker 3: and a little community all in one place. No ads, 92 00:06:03,260 --> 00:06:05,740 Speaker 3: just good content. This one means a lot to us. 93 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 3: We built the good word based on the audience survey 94 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,340 Speaker 3: so many of you filled out a few months back. 95 00:06:11,620 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 3: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So 96 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,190 Speaker 3: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to 97 00:06:17,230 --> 00:06:19,810 Speaker 3: the link in the show notes and join our community today. 98 00:06:20,110 --> 00:06:21,010 Speaker 3: We'd love to have you.