April 18

We like to think that our Christianity has made us better people. We know who we were before we knew Jesus as our Savior and Lord and we know ourselves now. Although there is still much room for improvement, we like the difference we see in ourselves. We know He has shaped us into a better version of ourselves.

Following Him has given us something to which to aspire that we could not have recognized if we’d been left to our own devices. We would perhaps have striven for more that we could consume upon ourselves but we’d not have concerned ourselves with how we might improve our humanity.

Psalm 16:11 gives us a purely altruistic reason for following after our God and seeking His face. Oh, yes, it makes us better versions of ourselves, it makes us more considerate of our fellow sojourners on this temporal journey from dust to dust, but there is something even worthier of our pursuit than the mere vanities of time.

David says, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.” Following the Lord is not simply the avenue of self-improvement and more insightful awareness of others. Rather, it is our route to transcendent joy and to the spiritual goals that assure our eternal, not merely our fleeting, worldly happiness!