Our Daily Bread 15/11 Let Me Stay! / By: Kirsten Holmberg One thing I ask from the Lord . . . that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Psalm 27:4
Today's Scripture & Insight: Psalm 27:1–6 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. 3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. 4 One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
As they made their way toward their car, Zander escaped his mother’s arms and made a mad dash back toward the church doors. He didn’t want to leave! His mom ran after him and tried to lovingly wrangle her son so they could depart. When his mother finally scooped four-year-old Zander back into her embrace, he sobbed and reached longingly over her shoulder toward the church as they walked away. Zander may merely have enjoyed playing with friends at church, but his enthusiasm is a picture of David’s desire to worship God. Though he might have asked God to thwart his enemies for his own comfort and security, David wanted peace to prevail so that he could instead “gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). His heart’s desire was to be with God—wherever He was—and to enjoy His presence. Israel’s greatest king and military hero intended to use peacetime to “sing and make music to the LORD” (v. 6). We can freely worship God anywhere, for He now dwells within us through faith in the person of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 3:17). May we yearn to spend our days in His presence and to gather corporately to worship Him with other believers. In God we find our safety and our greatest joy.
Today’s Hymns Wait for the Lord - Psalm 27
Dwell in Your House
Scripture to Respond Psalm 84:1-4 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.[c] John 4:23-24 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Reflection: Worship is a way to show our love to God. When have you experienced a passionate yearning to worship God? What keeps you from experiencing that more frequently?
Prayer: Father, You’re my delight and my joy. I long to worship You without distraction or interruption.
Wong Wai Tung (Chief executive officer of The Great Wall Education Foundation) & Sam Chow (Administrative officer of The Great Wall Education Foundation)
Reflection translated by Jenny Hung
The content of this article is taken from Our Daily Bread. Copyright by Our Daily Bread Ministries. Used by permission. Reflection translated by Jenny Hung
