With the referee’s final gesture, wrestler Kennedy Blades became a 2024 Olympian. She pressed her palms together, lifted her hands and eyes to the heavens, and praised God. A reporter asked about her growth over the past three years. The elite athlete didn’t even mention her physical training. “I’ve just gotten super close to Jesus,” she said. Professing Christ as King, she proclaimed that He’s coming again and encouraged others to believe in Him. “It’s Him,” she said. “That’s the main reason why I was able to accomplish such a big thing.” In other interviews, she faithfully declared that Jesus is everything to her and the reason for everything good in her life.
This passion for living a God-centered life reflects David’s confessions in Psalm 63. Acknowledging his desperation for his creator, he said, “I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you” (v. 1). David had “seen” God and “beheld” His “power” and “glory” (v. 2). He declared God’s steadfast love as “better than life” (v. 3). Then, he prayed: “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (vv. 7-8). God was clearly everything to David.
Our lives can be beacons that point others to a life-saving relationship with God when Jesus becomes our reason, our everything.
In what ways does your life reflect that Christ is your reason, your everything? What do you need to surrender to acknowledge that He’s your king?
Dear Jesus, please help me truly live like You’re my reason, my everything.
The heading of Psalm 63 tells us that David wrote it “when he was in the Desert of Judah.” This indicates that he was either fleeing from Saul (1 Samuel 23:14; 24:1) or from his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13-37). It’s more likely that he was fleeing from Absalom because in Psalm 63:11, David addressed himself as “king,” and he wasn’t yet king when Saul pursued him. In the arid desert, David thirsted for God (v. 1), affirming that God is his sustenance (vv. 7-8). With his life threatened, he turned to God instead of his army to rescue and protect him (vv. 9-11). His experience with God’s power and love (vv. 2-3) enabled him to trust Him, praise Him, and rejoice in Him (vv. 4-5, 11). Like David, as we earnestly seek God (v. 1), gratefully celebrate His love (vv. 2-5), passionately remember His faithfulness (vv. 6-8), and triumphantly rejoice in Him (vv. 9-11), our lives can point others to Him.
