HOW LOVELY, No. 561
HOW LOVELY!
"HOW LOVELY is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven's Armies."
Psalm 84:1 (NLT).
The psalmist longed to dwell in the house of the Lord. There was no place he wanted to be more.
Because Jesus Christ died and rose again, we now have the privilege of living in His presence continually. Yes, in the midst of all that is happening in your home, even with your little ones needing you all at once. No matter what you are facing, Jesus wants you to "abide in Him" (John 15:4, 5, 7).
Dear mother, you can live a “lovely life” as you dwell in the One who is all wisdom, love, joy, peace, and holiness. It is the loveliest place to be.
It is also the most powerful place to be--He is the Lord of the armies of Heaven!
Sadly, we don't always live where God wants us to live in our daily lives, do we? We forget what Ephesians 2:6 tells us that He has "raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
What is the result of dwelling in Him? Psalm 84:4 (AMP) goes on to tell us that those who dwell in His presence "will be singing Your praises all the day long." All day long?
"You don't know what's going on at my house," you reply. Dear mother, you can experience this "how lovely" as you dwell in Christ Jesus. Instead of allowing your circumstances to overcome you, live in Christ.
Thank Him that you live in His presence where there is fullness of joy. Thank Him that you are seated with Him in the place of authority and power over all your enemies.
Psalm 84, known as the "pearl of psalms," speaks of the joy and loveliness of dwelling in God's presence. This word also means “beloved." It is the beloved place to live. And it is your inheritance through Jesus Christ's death upon the cross for you.
Verse 6 tells us how that even when we go through the "valley of Baca" which means "the valley of tears or weeping" that it becomes a fountain or a place of refreshing springs. Maybe you are facing heartache and tears are flowing down your face. Perhaps you are in a desperate situation. When you dwell in Christ and put your trust in Him, He makes your valley into a place of refreshing.
There is yet more in this psalm. Verse 8 tell us you will go "from strength to strength." In the midst of hardship you can become stronger and stronger every day. In fact, your sorrows and tribulations are for the purpose of growing you in Christ. When you dwell in God and trust Him to do His work in you, your difficulties mature you. Don't let your mothering challenges frustrate you. Dwell in the lovely presence of God and instead of weakening, you will become a stronger mother each new day.
But the half has not been told! Not only can we dwell in God's presence, but He wants to dwell in us! In the past God dwelt in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle, and then in the temple. But now God has a different dwelling place. When Jesus died upon the cross the thick curtain that separated the Holy of Holies was torn apart and now, He comes to dwell in our hearts.
First Corinthians 6:19 also reminds us that we are the dwelling place of God. The word "temple" in this Scripture is "naos" and literally means "the Holy of Holies." This is too awesome to take in. God wants your body to be His Holy of Holies where He can abide. In John 15:4 Jesus not only said: "Abide in me," but He also said, "And I in YOU."
The big question is: is my heart and my body a "lovely" place for the dwelling place of God? Is He welcome? Does He feel at home in my heart? Is it a holy place?
What about our homes? God is a dwelling God who loves to dwell in our hearts, but He also wants to fill our homes with His presence. Is your home a beloved place for God? Ask God to show you anything in your home that grieves His Holy Spirit. Ask Him how to show you how to make your home a “lovely” place for His presence.
Be encouraged today.
NANCY CAMPBELL
PRAYER
“Dear Father, I can hardly take it in that You want my body to be Your temple. Please help me to keep a pure and holy temple for Your presence. I long to be filled with Your presence as I live each day in my home. Amen.”
AFFIRMATION:
My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
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