Psalm 84:1-2,10-12
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
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10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!
If you could spend time with anyone, who would you spend time with? Would you want to spend time with a sexy superstar, or would you want to spend time with the living God? We know the answer is supposed to be the latter, but what do we really dream about doing? Does our soul "long" and "faint" for the Lord, does our "my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God" (verse 2)? The psalmist here knows what he wants, for he knows that a moment in God's presence is better than years of sin (verse 10). As we learn to love God more, we'll desire to spend more time with Him and less time in sin. In recovery we find that a day of sobriety is better than a year of sinful pleasure. For "blessed is the one who trusts in [God]" (verse 12).
Heavenly Father, help me to recognize that it is better to spend a day with You than a thousand elsewhere. I want to spend time with You.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
....
10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!
If you could spend time with anyone, who would you spend time with? Would you want to spend time with a sexy superstar, or would you want to spend time with the living God? We know the answer is supposed to be the latter, but what do we really dream about doing? Does our soul "long" and "faint" for the Lord, does our "my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God" (verse 2)? The psalmist here knows what he wants, for he knows that a moment in God's presence is better than years of sin (verse 10). As we learn to love God more, we'll desire to spend more time with Him and less time in sin. In recovery we find that a day of sobriety is better than a year of sinful pleasure. For "blessed is the one who trusts in [God]" (verse 12).
Heavenly Father, help me to recognize that it is better to spend a day with You than a thousand elsewhere. I want to spend time with You.