Dwelling in the Lord
by Natalie Jourdan
“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” Psalm 27:4
David writes in Psalm 27 that his only request from the Lord is to dwell in His house, and to gaze on His beauty. I love this! The desire for the Lord and passion that David expresses in this passage is humbling and convicting to me in my own life. As a follower of Jesus Christ, can I honestly say that this is my desire too? Sure, I can “say” that, I agree with David, but does my life reflect my desire? Does my day to day tell the story of a heart whose only desire is to dwell with the Lord and gaze upon His beauty?
We know that during the time David wrote this he was in great distress and was seeking refuge of the Lord to protect from his enemies. If we study the context before and after Psalm 27 we can assume that he was in great need for deliverance from his enemies. In my life, I can say that I have never experienced a time when my life was being threatened and hopefully many of you can say the same. So what can we learn from this Psalm?
We recently finished celebrations that wrapped up last year’s holiday season and we welcomed a new year. We all experience a wide array of emotions and feelings around this time of year. Some people experience depression due to the climax and anticipation of the holidays ending and life getting back to the “normal” routine. Some people are exhausted and worn out, trying to catch up after the busy season. There are others who are energized, excited, and motivated about the year ahead and are planning for what the future holds. But then there are many who are nervous and anxious about what a new year brings with many unknowns. Honestly, I have experienced all of those emotions at some point in my life with the coming of a new year.
It is often times like this, even though I am not running for my life, as David was, that I have to cling to those passages and hold tighter to the Lord, trusting that He will get us through the days that are long and tough. As I look out my window at the bare trees and the brown dormant grass I have to remind myself the beauty of the Lord is still all around me. It’s in the love of the Father who sent his Son for us, it’s in the fellowship of the church that is Christ’s bride, it’s in the care and concern of a friend calling to check on me. It’s in the comfort the Lord gives me when I seek His face no matter what is going on in life around me.
So, as we walk through this new year let’s remember to ask the Lord to draw our hearts to Him. Let’s intentionally take time to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and delight in Him and dwell in his presence. This will fill us up and give us the strength to not only make it through tough times this year but will fuel us to shine like stars in the universe for His glory.
May the peace of Christ Dwell in you richly.
We know that during the time David wrote this he was in great distress and was seeking refuge of the Lord to protect from his enemies. If we study the context before and after Psalm 27 we can assume that he was in great need for deliverance from his enemies. In my life, I can say that I have never experienced a time when my life was being threatened and hopefully many of you can say the same. So what can we learn from this Psalm?
We recently finished celebrations that wrapped up last year’s holiday season and we welcomed a new year. We all experience a wide array of emotions and feelings around this time of year. Some people experience depression due to the climax and anticipation of the holidays ending and life getting back to the “normal” routine. Some people are exhausted and worn out, trying to catch up after the busy season. There are others who are energized, excited, and motivated about the year ahead and are planning for what the future holds. But then there are many who are nervous and anxious about what a new year brings with many unknowns. Honestly, I have experienced all of those emotions at some point in my life with the coming of a new year.
It is often times like this, even though I am not running for my life, as David was, that I have to cling to those passages and hold tighter to the Lord, trusting that He will get us through the days that are long and tough. As I look out my window at the bare trees and the brown dormant grass I have to remind myself the beauty of the Lord is still all around me. It’s in the love of the Father who sent his Son for us, it’s in the fellowship of the church that is Christ’s bride, it’s in the care and concern of a friend calling to check on me. It’s in the comfort the Lord gives me when I seek His face no matter what is going on in life around me.
So, as we walk through this new year let’s remember to ask the Lord to draw our hearts to Him. Let’s intentionally take time to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and delight in Him and dwell in his presence. This will fill us up and give us the strength to not only make it through tough times this year but will fuel us to shine like stars in the universe for His glory.
May the peace of Christ Dwell in you richly.
Recent
Archive
2023
February
Categories
no categories
No Comments