BECAUSE YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE, MY LIPS WILL GLORIFY YOU (PSALM 63:3).

We have finished our series on Ephesians. Next week Lent begins, and Wilderness Wanderings will have something special this year. Between now and then Pastor Anthony and I will Wander to various places in the scriptures. Today, we meander over to Psalm 63.

Jack Benny was a beloved entertainer. Though in real life he was an excellent violinist and a generous man, he often played comedic roles in which he was a terrible musician and an extreme penny-pincher.

One of Benny's famous sketches involved an attempted robbery. A thief sticks a gun in Benny's back, saying, "This is a stickup! Now come on. Your money or your life."

Benny fails to respond, saying or doing nothing for several seconds. The thief repeats his demand, "Look, bud, I said, 'Your money or your life.' " Benny responds, "I'm thinking it over!" For Jack Benny's miserly character, there was something better than life, namely money.

The author of Psalm 63 would agree with Benny that there is something better than life, but it wouldn't be money. In verse 3, David prays, "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you." What is better than life? God's love.

This word love is multifaceted. It includes kindness, mercy, and steadfast affection. It is closely associated with God's covenant relationship with Israel. It reflects the perseverance of God's graciousness towards her over multiply generations. This, despite the fact Israel often rejected him.

Do we really believe God's love is better than life? In principle, of course. But we must confess that sometimes we live as if life, especially the temporary pleasures of life, are better than God's love. Don't we, when faced with the choice, echo Jack Benny, "I'm thinking it over."

If God's love were better than life itself, then we would be well served to build into our lives regular opportunities to experience and grow in God's love. Regular times with the Lord. Times of retreat (silence, including digital silence), so we can clear our heads and pay attention to God.

To experience God’s love, we need deep relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ, so that we can learn what it means to love and be loved. We need to be faithful in joining with others for worship, so we can remember the Gospel as it is sung, preached, and celebrated in communion. And we need rest from work, so we can be restored and remember God's amazing faithfulness.

Lent has become known for many things, mostly, giving up many things. But that was never the point. Whatever we do, the goal has always been to learn anew that God's love is better than life; that God's love is the source of our life.

So, as you prepare for Lent, consider what you can do that will enable God to draw you deeper into his love?

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.