This Psalm brought so much joy to my heart this morning and resonated with the wonderful message we heard in our local gathering of God's family this Sunday. And before I break it all down, let me challenge you to go back and read the Psalm and consider that God lives in His people: the church is the dwelling place of our God. In fact I am so filled with a similar heart of thanksgiving today that I read here in Korah’s descendants’ Psalm that I want to start with my own praise session:
MAIN POINT: Get close to God by getting close to where He is and where He works, and you will find immense joy.
I love what I see God doing in my heart.
I love what I see God doing in Lyssa’s heart; she is so wonderful to others and to me. Praise You, God for the work you are doing in and through her.
I love my church and the messages I have heard over the past months there. I love the fellowship, the friendships, the loving caring attitudes, the worship and praise, the connect groups, the prayer and Alpha groups, the humility and honesty. I love the presence of God among His people.
I have had healing in my soul there, I have had hope grow and flourish together, I have seen prayers answered and people get saved. I have seen joy and hope and service and humility. I am proud to be there and proud to be part of it and proud to recommend it. And I sense a big heart that in love and service and humility reaches out to all the other churches, to the other ministries, to the unbelievers and believers alike. What a joy to be among His people. We see people baptised, people praying, people growing, people serving, people with joy.
When I read Psalm 84 I think about Jesus my King and I think about His house, the church and I think about His welcome and His power to meet needs and change people, and I am so excited to worship God as Korah’s descendants did in Psalm 84.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young
at a place near your altar,
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!
What joy for those who can live in your house,
always singing your praises.
Didn’t you think of Jesus' encouragement to trust God in Matthew 6? I did.
“Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?”
In God’s presence there is joy because God makes a place for you and welcomes you and provides for you. This is what Jesus told us.
“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
“Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
Jesus was passionate about His Father’s house and the presence of God, and it wasn’t just about the temple, as we see in John 14. Jesus is talking about the presence of God and His welcoming Home as a heavenly location. And by the time Paul is explaining this wonderful truth to people without the historical biblical background of the Jewish nation, he calls us the dwelling place of God. Read it with excitement here because everything Korah’s descendants are praising God about in Psalm 84 is finding its place in the church.
“Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.
We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.
Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.”
So what does the presence of God look like and what does it do to our attitudes and perspectives? Well look back at Psalm 84 for that answer:
“For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
from those who do what is right.
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
what joy for those who trust in you.”
Psalm 84:11-12
Conclusion:
If you can see the world from God’s perspective, you will recognise His presence and especially among His people and there you will find great joy.
Please pray for me to become a better writer. I see God showing me what He is doing, but I don’t feel like I can express in writing what I see. But I want to be able to tell the stories of God’s presence in the church, in the world, in the wonder of creation, in the compassion of His servants, even those who do not know the God they serve. Please pray I will be able to encourage many with what I see and I would be able to develop the skill to communicate even better for His honor and glory. If God has revealed it to you then please write. Please write the story of God’s work in your heart, your church, in your family, in your community. Please don’t let these stories die with you untold.
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