Ever Longing for the House of the Lord. Psalms 84-85; Second Timothy 3

May the mumbling commence!

God sustains us so well that we always want to be in the House of the Lord.  We want to sing the praises of our Lord.  It is in the House of the Lord that we learn to truly live.  Read from the beginning of Psalm Eighty-four:

How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord Almighty. 

I long, yes, I faint with longing

to enter the courts of the Lord.

With my whole being, body and soul,

I will shout joyfully to the living God. 

Even the sparrow finds a home there,

and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young—

at a place near your altar,

O Lord Almighty, my King and my God! 

How happy are those who can live in your house,

always singing your praises.

Interlude (Verses 1-4)

What peace and security there is in the House of the Lord!  I shout with joy.  Our God lives.  There is no other.  To learn to live in Your house is divine.  Prepare me to be a sanctuary for Your Holy Spirit.  Prepare Your people, my adoptive family.

There is no other place that I would rather be than in the House of the Lord!

Love and truth and righteousness and peace dwell in the House of the Lord in harmony.  They are so close together that they kiss!  Read from Psalm Eighty-five:

Unfailing love and truth have met together.

Righteousness and peace have kissed! 

Truth springs up from the earth,

and righteousness smiles down from heaven. (Verses 10-11)

May we be as intimate as this with love and truth and righteousness and peace.  They come down from heaven as a gift from the Lord.  Let’s give thanks!

And one way that we enter into the House of the Lord is through the vehicle of God’s Word.  Read from Second Timothy chapter three:

But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.  You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.  It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. (Verses 14-17)

Teach us, O Lord.  Straighten our lives up.  It is far past time for a spring cleaning.  Welcome into our lives together.  Show us the truth and right.  Equip us for Your work, O God.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out