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"I love the sense of satisfaction that I get when I’ve done a swimming workout or race, and know that I gave my whole being and heart to God in every moment of the swim. It’s the best worship I can offer him."

Penny Heyns

Psalm 73

But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. Psalm 73:28

The Psalmist begins with a strong statement, that it is good to be near God. (The previous verse referred to people abandoning God).Being near to God, is an interesting concept because God is always there, unchanging. Whether we think we are near to God is often a perception rather than a reality. We can be distracted and allow other things to crowd God out. We can fail to spend time praying and reading the Bible, actions which help align our thoughts with God’s.

I love the idea of making God our shelter. Imagine being out in the cold and rain and suddenly finding a shelter from the elements. Transfer that to life and seeing God as the shelter from all the pressures of life.

Finally, the Psalmist states that he will proclaim God’s goodness. That is the responsibility of every Christian, not as an onerous duty but as the natural overflow of thanks to God.

I know a person who became a Christian through spending time with two Christian colleagues. She said that her colleagues were always talking about what God was doing in their lives. When she said this to one of the friends, the friend was shocked saying she never recalled talking about God to her friend. That is the whole point; talking about God was so natural for her than she was not conscious of doing it.

As you live your life, strive to be close to God, to make God your shelter and to talk naturally about it.

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