Ps 84:1-4 is a delightful reminder of how much we should cherish and love the House of God.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, 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 have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
David said that his soul longed to be in God’s presence. It sounds like David loved to be in God’s House. Just the wording he used in todays Bible reading makes you think that his heart’s desire was to be where ever God was. David was known as a man after God’s own heart. David loved God and God loved David. God’s passion became David’s passion. God’s heart is for His family. The family of God meets, learns and grows together in church. Jesus gave the 5 fold ministry gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher so that we could grow, and particularly to prepare the people of God for the work of the ministry, and to build the body of Christ. So God places each person in a church body so that they can enter the presence of God, and serve in a church body. He is the good Shepherd that is looking after and taking care of His sheep. Jesus is the chief pastor! Jesus is the one who decides who is called to be a pastor. The interesting thing is that everyone needs a pastor. Even if you are a pastor, you still need a pastor. The word pastor means shepherd, and sheep (the people of God) need a shepherd. Jesus of course is the chief shepherd, but we still need to be “pastured”, in the pasture of the church. In the church is where you get good nourishment to grow in God. It is where we rub shoulder with other believers, and learn how to walk in love, use our faith, and become more like Jesus. It is where we long to be as believers. So my encouragement to you is…..long to be in God’s presence, He longs for you. In His presence you will find, everything you need, life, hope, joy, and buckets full of love!
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