Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

August 17
Sunday


IN GOD'S
HOUSE

READ:
Psalm 84
__________________________________________

My soul longs, yes, even
faints for the courts of
the LORD.
__Psalm 84:2
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Tobias, who recently turned 3, loves to go to church. He cries when he isn't able to attend. Each week when he arrives for the children's program of Bible stories, games, singing, and dinner, he runs into the building and enthusiastically announces to the leaders and other children: "Let's get this party started!" The Lord must smile at this child's excitement about being in what he thinks is God's house.

The author of Psalm 84, one of the sons of Korah, also had a love for Gods' house. Some commentators have speculated that for a time he, a temple singer, was unable to go to the temple__either because of sickness or circumstances. So as he wrote this psalm, his soul was especially longing and crying out to be in "the courts of the LORD: (v.2). He believed that one day of worship in God's house gave more satisfaction than a thousand days spent anywhere else (v.10).

There's something special about praising God together with His people, and we should take every opportunity we can to do so. But if we can't, like the psalmist, we can still express our love for the living God and our longing to know Him (v.2). The Lord is pleased and we'll be blessed when our heart's desire is to be with Him and His people. __Anne Cetas
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`````````````````One day that's spent with You, O Lord,````````````
```````````````````````In worship and in praise``````````````````
```````````````````Is better than a thousand spent````````````````
``````````````````In less important ways. __Sper````````````````
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A good indicator of our spiritual temperature
is our eagerness to worship God.

******************Today's Bible Reading __ psalm 84*************

1 How lovely is Your
tabernacle, O LORD of hosts!

2 My soul longs, yes, even
faints for the courts of the
LORD; my heart and my
flesh cry out for the living
God.

3 Even the sparrow has
found a home, and the
swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her
young__even Your altars,
O LORD of hosts, my King
and my God. 4 Blessed are
those who dwell in Your
house; they will still be
praising You.

5 Blessed is the man whose
strength is in You, whose
heart is set on pilgrimage.

6 As they pass through the
Valley of Baca, they make it
a spring; the rain also covers
it with pools. 7 They go from
strength to strength; each
one appears before God in
Zion.

8 O LORD God of hosts,
hear my prayer; give ear,
O God of Jacob! 9 O God,
behold our shield, and look
upon the face of Your
anointed.

10 For a day in Your courts
is better than a thousand. I
would rather be a doorkeeper
in the house of my God than
dwell in the tents of
wickedness. 11 For the LORD
God is a sun and shield; the
LORD will give grace and
glory; no good thing will He
withhold from those who
walk uprightly.

12 O LORD of hosts, blessed
is the man who trusts in You!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

In the Old testament, the blessed person on pilgrimage is the one
who wants to worship in the temple out of spiritual joy (v.5). The
Valley of Baca (weeping) speaks of hardships on the journey. Yet
along the way are springs and pools that are God's provision for
the thirsty traveler (v.6). Today, our pilgrimage is not to a physical
temple but rather a journey of faith in Christ. __Bill Crowder