His Dwelling Place

"How lovely is your dwelling place,

O LORD of Heaven's Armies."

Psalm 84:1 NLT

I long for the dwelling place of God where I will be blessed and find peace and security.  Where is this blissful place?  In heaven on high, in the mansion Jesus is preparing for me?  Must I wait until this life is over to enter into His courts?  Or does the psalmist speak of the here and now, that I can enter into such a wonderful place in this moment?

Submit.  "Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise." (v 4 ESV)  Growing up, there were rules for those who lived in our house.  We were expected to clean up after ourselves, to share the load of daily chores, and to each take our turn in cooking and cleaning up the kitchen.  As children, we also were to submit to the decisions our parents made with the understanding that they were acting on our behalf, looking out for our best interest.  It was a pretty good system and I don't ever remember questioning whether or not my needs would be met or if I was protected.  I lived at peace under my parents' roof.

As a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, it is no different (1 John 3:1).  I live in His kingdom, in the here and now (Luke 17:21).  With God as my Father, it is my duty as His child to let Him have His way, to trust Him with the details of my life and to agree to His best for me.  Instead of running after things that are outside of His dwelling place, I can learn to be content with Him and what He provides for me (Matthew 6:31-33).

I live in God's wonderful dwelling place when I submit to my Father in all my ways.

Strength. "What joy for those whose strength comes from the LORD. . ." (v 5 NLT)

Living in this world throughout my life, I have learned to depend upon myself, to lean on my own understanding about how the world works, and to do for myself.  I've become quite independent and am too proud to ask for help and let someone else do for me.  With such a mindset and way of living, I often feel pooped out and discouraged.  It's hard to live by my own strength.

As a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, there is a better way (Isaiah 40:31).  God never runs out of steam or feels depressed or downhearted.  In contrast, no matter how positive my attitude is, I will at some point reach the end of myself, but God has no borders.  He is without parameters nor does He have limits.  His power is unequaled and the end of it can never be found.  Therefore, when I trust in Him for my strength, I'll never run out and I'll find joy in such abundance.

I live in God's wonderful dwelling place when I let Him be my strength no matter what I face in life.

Value.  "A single day in your courts is better than I thousand anywhere else!" (v 10 NLT)

Throughout my life there have been many other places for which my heart has yearned.  I wanted success, notoriety, someone to love me, purpose, all the things that I thought would make my life meaningful.  I ran after them with gusto, sure that once I reached my goals I would finally have peace and contentment.  I never saw the value of God and the place He had prepared for me in His presence.

My Father has been drawing me toward Himself for my whole life, challenging me to taste and see that He is good (Psalm 34:8).  Now that I have seen the great plan He has for me and the security that comes from buying into His purposes for me, I want more of Him and no longer see what was so great about those other foolish pursuits (1 Peter 1:1-3).  What once held great value to me now means nothing (Philippians 3:8).  Finally I can see that His courts are better than anything else this world has to offer, and there is no place I'd rather be than sitting at His feet.

I live in God's wonderful dwelling place when I appreciate the value of living in His presence.

This world is dark and evil, and its hard to go on living in such a place.  I long for something better, and it overjoys me to realize I can enter into His dwelling place right now.  I can find His blessing in the here and now when I submit to His best for me, lean on His strength, and come to appreciate the value found in His presence.  In these ways I will find His dwelling place right here on earth, and my heart will sing His praises!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can receive this wonderful dwelling God yearns for me to enter.

When do I insist on having my own way, which turns out to be much inferior to God's best?

How am I leaning on my own strength and growing weary?  

    

Korah's Rebellion, My Rebellion

"Korah son if Izhar,the son of Kohath, the son of Levi,

and certain Reubenites-- Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab,

and On son of Peleth--

became insolent and rose up against Moses.

With them were 250 Israelite men,

well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.

They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron

and said to them,

'You have gone too far!

The whole community is holy, every one of them,

and the LORD is with them.

Why then do you set yourselves 

above the LORD's assembly?'"

Who do they think they are, anyway?  Moses and Aaron are getting a bit too big for their britches as far as I can see.  Every one of us is chosen by God to belong to Him as His treasured possession, so why do they think they're special? (Exodus 19:4-6)  I mean, they haven't even done what they've promised. . . we have not entered the land promised to us by God.  They just seem to be jerking us around.

These could have been the thoughts of the man who led the lethal rebellion that resulted in the death of him and two of his buddies, their families, 250 of their followers as well as an additional 14,700 who continued to rebel even after a frightening display of God's sovereign power and who ultimately met their own brutal demise. (Numbers 16)

Korah made the foolish mistake of wanting more than what the LORD had provided.  He was given the important job of caring for the holy things of the Tabernacle, along with the rest of the Kohathites, but he grew jealous of the position in which God had placed Moses.  He mistakenly believed Moses had elevated himself to his position of leadership.

While this seems like quite a bold and treacherous claim to make, I can often make the same kind of mistake.

Perspective

"Women will not achieve full equality until every woman can pursue her dreams free from discrimination.  NOW declared full support for same-sex marriage in 1995, claiming that the choice of marriage is a fundamental constitutional right under the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment that should not be denied because of a person's sexual orientation.  Feminism is rooted in freedom, independence and love.  Lesbian women should be able to marry their partner and be entitled to the same rights as their heterosexual sisters."  (Equal Marriage NOW: Talking Points)

Almost any behavior can be justified along the lines of rights or a sense of fairness.  The above statement is taken directly from the National Organization for Women's website and reflects their deceptive practice of using our desire to extend the same civil liberties and privileges equally to all people as a weapon that is destroying marriage as God defined it.  Unfortunately, these zealous rebels miss the point as far as I'm concerned.  Instead of arguing about who has the right to get married, the question that should be asked is, who has the right to define marriage?

Modern society is extremely concerned with rights.  Rights to bear arms.  Rights to speak freely.  Rights to live as I see fit.  If I take this worldly perspective and try to apply it to God's kingdom, I will run into trouble.  There are many things God teaches that seem unfair to me.  There is much in His Word that flies in the face of my selfish sin nature.  There is a lot that I have a hard time reconciling to my own way of thinking.

And herein lies the rub.  Either I accept God's ways and fall into line with what He expects from me, or I rebel against Him and go my own way.  I can't get my way and follow God at the same time.  I can't look out for my rights and follow God at the same time.  I can't focus on my desires and follow God at the same time.  

By the way, understanding is not a pre-requisite for obedience. (Proverbs 3:5-6) I have always had a hard time obeying an order or request if I don't understand the purpose for that command.  This gets me in trouble when dealing with governmental requirements because they often don't make sense to me.  It also, however, gets me in trouble with God because His ways and thoughts are so much higher than mine; I can't possibly expect to comprehend His line of thinking or His reasons for doing things!  (Isaiah 55:8-9)

My walk with Christ, then, is deeply rooted in a need to submit.  I must surrender my rights to myself over to God, allow the people He has placed in authority over me to lead me, and bow to His will in my life.  This continual act of submission flies in the face of my sin nature as well as to what the culture around me asserts.

I am in danger of rebelling against God and His chosen leaders when I insist on preserving my own fleshly, worldly perspective.

Jealousy

"Keeping up with the Joneses."  This well-known idiom describes a mindset where I work to match the lifestyle of my friends and neighbors.  It is easy, when living in such a materialistic society, to get caught up in this way of life.  I visit a friend's home, admiring her sense of style and decor, and suddenly find myself discontent with my own perfectly comfortable and adequate home.  All at once, what I have doesn't seem like enough.

I often find this same principle at work in my spiritual life as well.  God has given me gifts meant to build up the body of Christ.  Instead of being content with the jobs He has granted me to do, my eye wanders to what my sister or brother in Christ are accomplishing.  I then find myself desiring their gifts, trying to mimic their ministries, or nosing in on their area of responsibility.

While God has supernaturally gifted me with the ability to serve His people in specific ways, I may feel inadequate, uninterested, or displeased with His choice for me.  Other times I may want more than what He has given me, feeling slighted or unfulfilled in my role.  Then there are times when I simply feel insecure with the position in which He has placed me.  Whatever the reason, any time I don't serve where God has placed me, the Body of Christ suffers.                  (1 Corinthians 12:11, 14, 18)

I am in danger of rebelling against God and His Church when I am not satisfied with what God has given to me.

Justification

She walked the neighborhood, going door-to-door to try to drum up support for her cause.  When she came to my home, I quickly dismissed her quest for a following.  I refused to jump on her bandwagon, choosing instead to defend the woman this neighbor so stubbornly insisted on slandering.  

We all can recall a time when we've been hurt by another.  Sometimes it's a close friend whose words or actions cut deeply, other times it's an acquaintance, co-worker or relative who wounds.  Whatever the source, we've all suffered at the hand of another.

When I take this hurt and do as my neighbor did, seeking to garner support for my desire to pay back, I can be assured that I am in the wrong.  If I need to gather a following in order to give me a sense of justification, then I had better examine my motivation.  Am I seeking revenge?  Am I trying to defend my own position?  Am I concerned only with my reputation?

When living life together with other believers, there will be times when my toes are stepped on, my rights are violated, and my feelings are hurt.  The question to always ask is, does this bring dishonor to God?  If it's only me that is offended and I feel the need to build a following before trying to work it out with my brother or sister, I most likely have the wrong motivation.  In other words, if I need to rally support in order to rationalize my defense, it's probably me whose been wronged, not God. 

I am in danger of rebelling against God and His family when I sense a need to justify my own position.

God took drastic measures to end the revolt led by Korah.  His greed and jealousy cost the lives of many, but my own desire for more than what God has given me has a similar price.  Therefore, I would be wise to keep a godly perspective, guard against discontent, and examine my heart when feeling slighted by a brother or sister.  In these ways, I'll avoid building a rebellion of my own.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can keep my eyes on Jesus to avoid lusting after more than what God has graciously given to me.  

How am I concerned with my own rights more than I focus on obedience to God and His ways?

When do I feel jealous of what others have?

A Just Judge

"When they hurled their insults at him,

he did not retaliate;

when he suffered,

he made no threats.

Instead,

he entrusted himself to 

him who judges justly."

1 Peter 2:23

We live in a litigious society where people are quick to file a lawsuit at the slightest sign of insult, injury or perceived injustice.  Even children carry this attitude where common phrases used in the school yard include, "Oh no you didn't!" or "I'm gonna deck you in the throat." Everyone is ready to fight at the drop of a hat.

In contrast, Jesus had every right to defend himself before his accusers.  They mocked Him, beat Him, humiliated Him and brutally killed Him.  As the divine Son of God, He had all authority to save Himself.  If anyone deserved respect, it was Him. If anyone was completely innocent of all charges, it was Him.  If anyone had the right to be angry at the treatment He received, it was Him.  But He, "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."  (Mark 10:45)

Jesus came on a mission. . . a mission to save the people from the penalty of our sins.  As One who was sent by His Father for this purpose, He was willing to put Himself at the mercy of cruel people for our sake, knowing that the Father's justice would prevail.  It seemed like He was losing the battle, but He would ultimately win the war. 

What would it look like if I entrusted my case to God; A Just Judge?

Submit to Authority  

My palms started to sweat as a saw the familiar blue flashing light pull in behind me, keeping pace with me as I drove through the intersection. I'm sure he's going after someone else, I comforted myself and confidently eased to the right, giving him room to pass.  To my horror, he shadowed my movement, coming to a stop directly behind my van. 

Oh No!  

A boy who looked to be fresh out of high school walked up to my window and asked, "Ma'am, did you see the signal turn red?"

"Yes, you need to check this light because the timing is off.  The yellow always seems to be much shorter than all the other lights.  It throws me off every time."  I instruct as I justify my transgression to the officer.  

"I'll make sure they check this signal,"  the young man reassured me as he tore off the ticket and handed it to me.

As you can see, I am not always good at submitting to authority.  I usually am more concerned with defending myself or making sure that no one takes advantage of me.  In the above example, I was clearly in the wrong and should have taken my punishment quietly and compliantly.  

There are times, however, when corruption exists in positions of power and leadership and people are treated unjustly. Men have served years in jail for crimes they did not commit.  Some have lost jobs for reasons that are less than honest.  Others become a scapegoat for someone else's indiscretion, their life left as a heap of ruins in the wake of the scandal.  That's not fair!

If I hand over authority to God to defend me, trusting that He will judge fairly and impartially, I can rest easy knowing that justice will be served.  But there is another reason as revealed in 1 Peter 2:15.  When I submit myself to authority for the Lord's sake, ". . .it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men."

God has a way of using my obedience to put people in their place.  There is no need for me to try and do it myself.  Instead, I can trust God with that task.

If I trust God to serve as the just judge in my life, I can rest easy, knowing that, "those who walk in pride he is able to humble."  (Daniel 4:37b) 

Live as Free Men

I am not free when I feel the need to defend myself against perceived injustice carried out against me.   False accusation. . . unkind words. . . unfair treatment. . . lack of understanding.  All of these seemingly benign acts can trigger my inner soldier, sending me to take up my battle position.

When I instead let God act as my defender, I am free to live as He has called me to live.  I can show proper respect to everyone.  As one who no longer needs to defend, I can freely love my siblings in Christ.  I naturally fear God, showing Him reverence above all.  I am able to honor the president or any other leader, even when I don't agree with him.  (1 Peter 2:17)

Giving God the authority in my life to protect me and look after me instead of taking on that role myself, means I am free.

If I trust God to act as my guardian, I am free to love as He has loved me.  

Serve Wholeheartedly

"Good enough for government work."  I've used this phrase more than once in my life to describe a mediocre job completed that met the standards but did not exceed them.  I did just enough to get by.

Once I turn judgement and guardianship over to God, however, I can go well beyond putting forth this second-rate effort.   I can do whatever job I find myself doing with all my heart, as if I were serving God Himself.  Even though I may feel unappreciated here and now, my godly attitude is not ignored by the One who will reward according to what I have done.

When I'm changing diapers for the umpteenth time today, God notices the tender loving care I give to my baby.  When I utter a silent prayer for my grumpy boss who always seems to be out to get me,  the LORD appreciates my tender heart.  When I clean up after others without saying a word, using it as a ministry of God's love, He sees my efforts.  

Commendation is nice and gratifying, but what I truly want is for God to say at the end of my life, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

If I trust God as the giver of rewards, I can serve Him wholeheartedly in whatever I do, doing my very best for Him.

I am quick to take up my case before men, defending myself and looking for the respect I think I earned, but God has another way.  If I entrust justice, my protection and desire for reward to Him, I will be able to submit to authority, live freely and serve wholeheartedly.

In this way I am able to do with my life as Robert Browning said and, ". . . make the absolute best of what God made."  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God to defend me when I feel threatened.

How do I look for ways to defend myself instead of being free to love others?

When do I only do what is necessary instead of doing my very best for God?