jeudi, juillet 27, 2006

Psalm 84 -- WOW!

How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

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,
O LORD Almighty, my Kind and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools (blessings).
They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Note how often the author of this Psalm refers to God as All-MIGHTY!
Our LORD is not weak; He is not absent from us; He is not indifferent to our needs. Quite the opposite, in fact. It seems quite apparent to me that the author has such a relationship with God- or at least an accurate understanding of God's character- that he craves absolutely nothing more than the presence of the LORD. The LORD's nearness is his LIFE; his strength from day to day, through trial and blessing.

This is such a beautiful Psalm and has ministered to me this week as I've meditated on it daily. I also do crave His nearness- perhaps sometimes expecting there to be more "fireworks" to my relationship with Him. That is not necessarily, or typically, the case. I have not always (by any means) felt like I've drawn close to the LORD in my own efforts this week. However, I find merciful peace in the knowledge that it is less about what I'm doing to get near him, and more about the FACT that I am resting/living/being sustained in His presence because of Him. My Valley of Baca (or "weeping") can also be made a place of refreshing springs of life, and pools of blessing- more because of the Almighty's presence than because of any change in circumstance.

I have prayed this week, in my hectic life- and in the eager "nesting" instinctivness of a mother about to bear a child- as Lord Ashley, before he charged at the battle of Edge Hill:
"O LORD, thou knowest how busy I must be this day. If I forget thee, do not thou forget me."

Posted by Jeremy J Harnett :: 2:12 p.m. :: 3 comments

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