Christ Our Portion

Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
Psalm 63:3-5

We talk a lot about how much we love Jesus–how he is everything to us. Do we really mean it? Could we say that Jesus is enough, that we are completely satisfied with Him, if we lost family, friends, finances, and material possessions?

I’m not sure I could say that. My heart has become too tied to this world and everything in it. I don’t fully understand how Christ can be my everything.

But whether I know it or not, he is my everything and that is what I have to embrace. He tells us that everything he has is ours. Not only are we to inherit a wonderful kingdom and eternity of joy, but even now we can say, “The Lord is my portion.” And since we have him, we have everything that matters.

Octavius Winslow wrote a great piece on all the ways Christ is our portion.  Here are a few reasons he lists as to why we can be fully satisfied in Jesus.

1. He is our provider (Philip. 4:19)
2. He is our teacher (John 3:2)
3. He is our refiner (Mal. 3:3)
4. He is our bridegroom (Isaiah 54:5)
5. He is our Hope (1 Tim. 1:1)
6. He is our helper (Hebrews 13:6)
7. He is our healer (Ex. 15:26)
8. He is our deliverer (2 Cor. 1:10)
9. He is our saviour (Matt. 1:21)
10. He is our master (John 13:13)
11. He is our example (John 13:15)
12. He is our comforter, our burden bearer (Psalm 55:22)
13. He is our shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
14. He is our restorer (Psalm 23:3)
15. He is our light (Psalm 27:1)
16. He is our rest (Psalm 62:5)
17. He is our nourishment (John 6:55)
18. He is our peace (Eph. 2:14)
19. He is our song (Psalm 118:14)
20. He is our hope (Psalm 39:7)

With a God like this what else could we possible need? But our heart does not understand and our faith is often weak. And so we doubt.

How do we learn to rest in the truth that Jesus really is enough? Faith is the issue here. So how do we work on strengthening our faith? Even here God has provided what we need. He has given us his word and prayer and by these he causes our faith to grow.

We cannot have a strong faith apart from the word of God. It is a living book that will change us from the inside out. We also need that sweet communion with God through prayer. We must ask him to give us faith, to show us how to rest in his character, word, and promises. He is faithful, he will do it. If you say, “I believe, but I doubt as well.” So do I. But the smallest faith is evidence that God is at work in you, teaching you to trust him. So seek him and the gift of faith all the more and he will provide.

The creature without Christ is an empty thing,
a lamp without oil, a bone without marrow.
But when Christ is present our cup runs over,
and we eat bread to the full.
- Spurgeon

“My flesh and my heart fails; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.”
 Psalm 73:26

Looking to Jesus,

Written by Jen Thorn

Posted by Kachi