Nothing Better

Oh, there's nothing better than You

There's nothing better than You

Lord, there's nothing

Nothing is better than You

These are the lyrics to the chorus of Elevation Worship’s new song “Graves Into Gardens.” I have sung these lines many times in the car, several times late at night, and a few times during a church service. Once you’ve sung a song more than once or twice, it becomes easy to forget what the song is actually saying. The song becomes so ingrained in your mind, so fluent in your memory, that you rarely take the time to acknowledge what you are actually singing about.

A few weeks ago I found myself singing to God, “Oh there’s nothing better than you.” Almost as fast as the words rolled off my tongue, the thought popped into my head: Do I really believe that?

Do I really believe that in a world with seemingly so much to offer me, the greatest thing I can have is a relationship with God?

The question messed with me. It’s still messing with me. Not because I don’t know the answer to the question, but because of how often I forget it.

Every single day the world tells me about the things it has to offer, the things that are “better than God.” Sometimes it’s sex appeal in a movie. Sometimes it’s a new squat max. Sometimes it’s a new pair of shoes that I “need”. Sometimes it’s the approval of a person that I so desperately want. Sometimes it’s just being acknowledged by somebody. 

It’s always something. No matter what I do, no matter where I go, the world will always try and convince me that it has what I need. It will always make an offer that appeals to the desires of my sinful nature. I, being a fallen creature, am naturally attracted to things that will not fill me up. We all are. When I believe the lies of the world and entertain its flirtations, I find myself utterly discontent with how it makes me feel. CS Lewis says that when we indulge in these worldly things, we develop “An ever-increasing craving for an ever diminishing pleasure.” Yes, sin never fills us up.

But I know firsthand that, in the moment, this is very hard to believe. It is hard to believe because I have convinced myself—as we all have—that I know what is best. This false belief is as old as the Garden, when Adam and Eve did what they thought was best instead of trusting that what God says is actually best.

Every day I am faced with a decision. I can be a slave to my emotions and ever-changing desires, or I can trust God. I can decide for myself what is right and wrong, or I can trust God. I can eat from the fruit that kills me, or I can trust God, and eat from the fruit that gives me life. 

Garden of Gethsemane

Moses was a great example of a man who trusted in God’s promises over the temptations of this world. Hebrews 11:25-26 says,  “[Moses] chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.”

There is a belief in the world that God does not want us to enjoy any good things. This isn’t true. God wants us to enjoy the best thing: Him! This is why He sent His Son to die in our place, so that we might know Him and finally fill the large void in our hearts. He died so that we could know Him, and to know Him is to be truly satisfied. The world will talk and tempt, and we will stumble and fall. Sadly, many of us will never get up, convinced that lying on our stomachs with dirt in our mouths is better than walking with God. 

As for those of us who trust God, He will give us strength. When we are weak, He is strong; when we are dead, He gives us life. Trusting God isn’t a one-time thing - it’s a constant decision we have to make. Withdrawing from the pleasures of the world is painful, but in doing so, God gives us joy and peace beyond understanding. Jesus is with us in our struggle.

It all comes down to a simple question: What do you believe? Do you believe that there is nothing better than Jesus? Do you believe that the greatest thing you can have in this life is a relationship with Him? Or do you believe the lies of the world, that sin now is better than God forever? 

I am faced with this question every day, and every day I must answer. Some days I will fail, but God’s grace will pick me up. Every day I must hold firm again and again to the belief that knowing Him is what I am meant to do, and therefore it is the only thing I will be satisfied doing.

So make your choice. And make it again. And again. And again. And again.

“Oh, there’s nothing better than you....”

Whom have I in heaven but you?

    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

    but God is the strength of my heart

    and my portion forever.

— Psalm 73:25-26