Today’s Reading, Psalms 80-85
Focal Scripture: Psalms 84:1-2 “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord of Armies. I long and yearn for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh cry out for the living God.”
We all have places we like to visit. It could be a vacation spot, a place that holds a special memory or even a place that we think is peaceful and gives us rest. Whatever the place or the reason that place speaks to us. It puts us in a good frame of mind. It helps us focus.
Here we see the Psalmist speak about the dwelling place of the Lord. How he longs to be in those court and be in God’s presence. Being in the presence of the Lord is one of the most extraordinary experiences a person can have. It’s not about the feeling but knowing you’re drawing close to the God of the universe.
We should so long for the presence of the Lord that our flesh and heart cry out for him. Wanting to be in the Lord’s presence should be the desire of our life. This means that even when we worship with others our goal is to be in the presence of the Lord first, being with others is a benefit.
I will be the first to admit that sometimes being in the presence of the Lord can be difficult. Sometimes we struggle with personal sin, sometimes people hurt us and we avoid places because they are there, other times we don’t “feel” close to God.
If you are struggling today to be in the dwelling place of the Lord I challenge you to let your heart and souls cry out to God. Remember that he is the one that deserves worship. His presence is what we look for in all things. This heart of worship will carry us through.
As this psalmist says “better is one day I your courts than thousands elsewhere.”
Tomorrow I plan to read Psalms 86-89
