How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! Psalm 84:1
Psalm 84 was written by the sons of Asaph, who were the youth serving in the temple. The psalm portrays the type of young people God wants to raise up today—youth who are passionate for the house of the Lord. The sons of Asaph are saying in this psalm, “We love church; it is the most exciting place for us to be in!” You should seek to cultivate that same appreciation for God’s presence in your life. You should look forward to every church service with great anticipation. The youth longed for God’s presence so much that it consumed their hearts: “My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (84:2).
The house of the Lord is a dream center. “Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God” (84:3). It is a place where your “dream eggs” can be hatched. Even the most insignificant person (symbolized by the sparrow) can receive visions for his life in the presence of the Lord.
“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage” (84:5). One of the most precious truths of your faith is that you can partake of God’s divine strength. Paul writes in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” But that power is reserved exclusively for those whose hearts are set on following Jesus’ footsteps.
“As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools” (Ps. 84:6). As you journey with the Lord, you will discover that the way of the cross can be really tough. Baca is the Hebrew word for “sorrow.” Yet even in the lowest pit of sorrow, God will pour the rain of His Holy Spirit upon you (84:6). His presence and His power will overwhelm you. “They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion” (84:7). God uses the storms of life to lift you from one level of glory to another. And as you gain new heights every day, you will ascend to the glory of spiritual Mount Zion. Both the Septuagint andLatin Vulgate translate the second half of verse 7 as “the God of gods shall be seen.” That means that the glory of the Lord will be manifested through you. All these are promised to those who are passionately in love with the house of the Lord; not to casual, lukewarm believers. It will happen for those who say, “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness” (84:10).
No comments:
Post a Comment