Meeting With the Living God!

Psalm 84

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
    Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
    Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.

We all have our favorite places we like to go to.  Maybe it is a cabin near a lake, or a beach house by the ocean.  It is usually a place where you get away from it all and enjoy time with nature, family and possibly a few good friends.  One thing is for sure, when we leave that place we usually feel refreshed and replenished.  

The psalmist talks about another place of rest and replenishment.  He calls it the "court of the living God", or "His dwelling place". In the Old Testament, God promised to meet the Israelites in the temple. In the temple they met the "living God". They got a glimpse of God's glory, even though God had to protect them from it because He is so holy.  But the psalmist finds it such an important place he says that "his soul yearns, even faints to be in it."  At the end of the psalm he says, "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."  Bottom line is his meeting with God was one of the best things in his life and he would virtually do anything to make it happen.  

I wonder if my soul yearns and faints for the living God.  Or, have I become content going through the motions in worship. Do I really expect to meet God in worship on Sundays?  Do I pray for those who lead worship to draw me into God's presence by the power of the Holy Spirit? Do I spend time preparing myself to be in God's presence?  Do I take time to confess my sin as I encounter His holiness?  And finally, do I receive the precious grace of God as I encounter it proclaimed, receive it personally in the bread broken and wine poured out for the forgiveness of my sin. 

The psalmist says that those who take this posture in worship are blessed.  Let's make time to come into God's presence this week. Whether it be in church as we worship together, in bible study as we study together, or in our private prayer time with God.  Better is one day in His courts than a thousand elsewhere! You can count on it!




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