I Will Be Satisfied

As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness: I will be satisfied, when I awake, with Your likeness. – Psalm 17:15 KJV

Some people are satisfied with cars, or money, or a new computer, or a promotion at work – for a while. Some people are satisfied with a new boyfriend or girlfriend, a new place to go, a new site to see – for a while. Some people are satisfied hardly ever at all. What will you be satisfied with?

The psalmist says, “I will be satisfied, when I awake, with Your likeness.” When I am like God, when I am free from this flesh, when I am no longer bound in the chains of humanity, but set free to dwell with the Lord for ever more. Then, only then, will I finally be satisfied.

Implied is that until that day, I will seek every moment to be more and more like my Lord. I will walk in His ways of holiness. I will detest sin and turn my eyes away from every evil thing. I will not speak any unseemly words out of my mouth. Many will see it and be glad. Some will envy or misunderstand. Others will even scoff and mock. But I will be satisfied.

There is a crown, a treasure, a great reward layed up for me in the heavenlies. No scoffer can see. No mocker can know it. None who disobey can have it. But I will walk in the ways of the Lord Jesus, following His commandments from the Holy Word of God. I will see Him on that day. And I will rejoice.

Many – how can we emphasize strongly enough, the size and number of this multitude? We cannot – many will say on that day, “Lord! Lord!” and “Didn't we?” With fervernt and most heartfelt emotion, maybe with tears in their eyes, sincere. But Jesus will turn and say to them to depart from Him for He never knew them because they practiced one thing: lawlessness. They had it their own way. (see Matthew 7)

Cain and Able both worshipped God. Did you know that? They both heard God's voice. They both knew God. But only one obeyed. Only one submitted. Only one embraced. That was Able. (See Genesis 4)

Cain decided to institute for his life, the “have it your way” philosophy. Cain would have fit in well with the multitudes within churches today who “go with the flow,” who say it is OK to consume alcohol, who say it is OK to have sex outside marriage, who say that once you confess the name of Jesus as Savior, you are saved for ever no matter what – no matter how you live. Cain would have fit in well with the religious crowd who think it's OK to attend church mostly when it is convenient. Cain would have set in the pew, may have even been involved in some ministries, would have appeared to be quite the sincere worhipper of God.

But in Cain's heart, there was a problem. Cain wanted to be in charge. Cain wanted to serve God, but his own way. Cain was sure that his idea, his method, his understanding, his own application of God's Word, his way was definitely better. Since Able would not be convinced, but clung to God's way, Cain had to murder Able, his brother. That was the only way Cain could be satisfied, to have his own way.

As for me, I will behold Your face (oh Jesus) in righteousness: I will be satisfied, when I awake, with Your likeness.

Jesus is calling. He wants us to do things His way. He wants us to obey His voice so that we, like King David the psalmist, may awake in the likeness of Jesus. He wants us to walk in that likeness today.

Jesus is calling. Will you have it His way? Or will you have it Cain's way?

The choice is yours, each day.

What will you do today?