Jesus is Better

Today I just want to reflect on God's goodness and His sufficiency.

The bible describes God as our shepherd, and we are his sheep.

"The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not the voice of strangers…The thief comes to only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10: 3-5, 10

In the song, above my favorite lyrics are
"In all my sorrows, Jesus is better - make my heart believe
In all my victories, Jesus is better - make my heart believe
Than any comfort, Jesus is better - make my heart believe
More than all riches, Jesus is better - make my heart believe
Our souls declaring, Jesus is better - make my heart believe
Our song eternal, Jesus is better - make my heart believe"

I feel like many of us think that we should reflect on the goodness of our King, when we are tempted to go astray.  When we are struggling with temptation, yes, that is a perfect time to know and understand that God's will is higher than ours.  

Yet, I think the problem that we all struggle with is unbelief.  No matter where we find ourselves in life, whether it be sorrows, victories, comfort, riches, we must know that Jesus is even better.  

The fact is that God's goodness doesn't just lead us in the right direction, but it guides us every day.  Day in and day out, our King is our Shepherd.  

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

    He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

 

    he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

    for his name’s sake.

 

Even though I walk

    through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

    for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

    in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

    my cup overflows.

 

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

    all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

    forever.

Psalm 23 

There is a bible story I would like to mention.  

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.  Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:35-41  

So, His disciples, who had risked everything and denied their life to be with them, still stumbled in unbelief.  They were still caught up in the storm.  The were caught up in life circumstances rather than taking a moment to reflect on God's goodness.  

So today, let us know that Jesus is better than the trials, and He is better than the storm.

Jesus, Make our heart believe, help our unbelief.

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”" Mark 4: 17-24  

I love this story because the disciples again were struggling with unbelief, as well as the boys father.  Yet, the boy's father choose to believe and he exclaimed help my unbelief. 

Sometimes we need to see that believing isn't a feeling, it is a choice.  I must choose daily to ask God to help my belief and then choose to believe that Jesus is better.  Jesus is my shepherd. That Jesus's ways are higher than my ways.  That Jesus can help my unbelief.