Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 27
Focus: Psalm 27:4
“One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.”
I’ve often heard preachers say that they would rather be in church than the best hospital in the world. Not much of a choice, I suppose, but there is truth to that sentiment. The house of the Lord is truly the best place in the world to be—in good times and bad. It is truly our safe-house.
It is there in the house of God that we find shelter in the time of storm. David understood that. That’s why when calamity was all around him, he asked God for just one thing: To dwell in the Lord’s house, for there, “in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.” (v. 5)
What is it about the house of the Lord that is so healing? Obviously, God’s presence is magnified in the place of worship and in the collective praise of his people. Likewise, the house of God is full of faithful friends—people who will encourage you, pray for your, help you in tangible ways, and if nothing else, put an arm around you and walk empathically with you through your valley of the shadow of death.
That is why the Scripture tells us that especially when the going gets tough, we should get going to church. Hebrews 10:25 exhorts us, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
I’ve noticed that some people don’t do that. When things go bad, they go south. They pull away from the one place they ought to lean into—the church. Can I encourage you: Don’t be one of those types. Whether in good times or in bad—especially in bad times—lean into God and get vitally connected to his people. As the writer of Hebrews envisioned, in life’s difficulties, you cannot live without the encouragement of God that comes vis–à–vis the people of God in community.
Now I recognize in saying that there will be some who accuse me of legalistically tying church attendance to divine protection. I stand guilty on that one. The Word of God never separates personal relationship with God (with all its benefits) from participation in the community of God. God saves us as individuals to become a part of the family of God, and when we unlink from spiritual community, we become vulnerable—we have voluntarily checked out of the safe house.
My sincere prayer for you is that you will so fall in love with the house of the Lord that like the psalmist, you too can joyfully sing, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 122:1)
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“If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far, go together.” (African Proverb)
Thank you Pastor Ray. Boy, is that ever true. As humans, I think our natural tendency is to isolate when the the going gets tough, but through faithful church attendance and engagement when the going is good is when I find my strength and my way So that when the going does get tough, and it always does, I know what to do and where to go. Staying spiritually vigilant is key to my peace and serenity. Your teachings touch us all.