What would you say is better than life itself? Most people might list family, health, or dreams fulfilled. But King David, writing in the wilderness in a moment of profound need, makes a radical claim:
“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” (Psalm 63:3, ESV)

At Lakeview Christian Church of Portage Lakes, we build our hope on this very truth. Our mission—”Be the change as Jesus has changed us”—calls us to pursue not just the blessings of life, but the very heart of God.

God’s Steadfast Love: Hesed

When David speaks of God’s “steadfast love,” he uses the Hebrew word hesed. This isn’t a fleeting feeling or mere comfort—hesed is God’s covenant love: faithful, unbreakable, and enduring beyond circumstance. It’s the love that binds God to His people, the love that Jesus embodied on the cross, the love that pursues us even when we’re lost in our own wilderness.

David’s circumstances were bleak—he was sorrowful, destitute, and thirsty, cut off from comfort and safety. Yet in that place, he declares that God’s love is not just comforting, but better than life itself. Without God, even life at its best is empty.

Satisfied as with Rich Food

David continues:
“My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night.” (Psalm 63:5-6, ESV)

In the ancient world, “fat and rich food” represented the height of abundance and celebration. David’s analogy is profound: he compares the fullness he finds in God’s presence to a banquet, a feast for the soul that no earthly pleasure can match.

How Do We Find Soul Satisfaction?

At Lakeview Christian Church of Portage Lakes, we pursue this soul-deep satisfaction through our “Just 3”: Study, Share, Serve. This is how we “be the change” that Jesus has already worked in us.

Study: Seeking God in His Word

David’s satisfaction didn’t come from changed circumstances, but from seeking God’s presence—lifting his hands, meditating on God’s love, and rejoicing in the Lord.

Begin each day not with your phone or to-do list, but with a moment in Scripture. Let verses like Psalm 63:1-5 shape your hunger for God.
Meditate on God’s character—His faithfulness, mercy, and steadfast love.
When you lie awake at night, turn your thoughts toward God’s goodness, letting gratitude replace anxiety.

Paul echoes this in Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV):
“I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Share: Praising and Encouraging Together

David’s response to God’s love is praise: “my lips will praise you with joyful lips.” Worship isn’t just about singing on Sundays—it’s about sharing what God has done, even in difficulty.

Gather with others to worship, pray, and encourage one another.
Be honest about your spiritual journey. When you share your struggles and how God meets you, you build up the faith of others.
Share testimonies of God’s faithfulness, reminding one another that His love truly is better than life.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) calls us to this:
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Serve: Love in Action

A heart satisfied in God overflows into service. When we know the abundance of God’s love, we are moved to serve others selflessly.

Look for ways to serve both within the church and in the Portage Lakes community.
Allow your service to be a reflection of the steadfast love you have received.
Remember, true service is not about earning God’s favor, but sharing what we have freely received.

Jesus said in John 13:34-35 (ESV):
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Life Without God Is Empty—But In Him, We Feast

If you find yourself, like David, in a dry and weary land, take heart. The journey begins not with perfect feelings, but with honest seeking. At Lakeview Christian Church of Portage Lakes, we believe that as you study, share, and serve, God will meet you. He will satisfy your soul, and your life will become a witness to the world that His love is truly better than life.

Let this be our shared prayer:
“Lord, your steadfast love is better than life. Satisfy my soul as with rich food, and let my life overflow with praise, encouragement, and service.”