Today’s reading: Psalm 84, John 2:19-21

When I began reading today’s psalm, an image crossed my mind:  I could vividly remember the first time (back in 2006) when my momma agreed to come with us to our Church. She had already made her Profession of Faith while becoming very ill from cancer. As soon as she entered the temple and sat down, uncontainable tears began to roll down her cheeks! My late momma was always known to be a strong woman, how was it that she could not hold back those tears? Those tears expressed the awe and the joy she experienced from the Presence of her God, the God that loved her so that gave His only begotten Son to grant her eternal life!

For me attending Church every week is also a dwelling place I always long for, since that first day I surrendered my life to Jesus kneeling at the altar, back in 1984; and I can still cry out from the bottom of my heart  like the psalmist did:

“How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ² My soul (my life, my inner self) longs for and greatly desires the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.”  (84:1-2)

Even though we know as Christians that He does not only dwell in a church or temple, but in us (1 Corinthians 3:16-18), it is there, in the place of gathering and fellowship, that I continually want to be, at His altar where:

“The bird has found a house, 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 and greatly favored are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; They will be singing Your praises all the day long. Selah.”

This “nest” is a place of:

-Security, solace and provision.

-A place where we can lay your loved ones on God’s altar.

-A place of willing sacrifice, through prayer and worship. (Romans 12:1-2)

As the psalmist describes in the following verses, people are in such a need to seek The Living God at this dwelling place, they set out in a long pilgrimage to get there, (Holy City of Zion) no matter the distance and/or the circumstances they might face, for they find their strength and courage in Him:

“Blessed and greatly favored is the man whose strength is in You, in ^]whose heart are the highways to Zion. ⁶ Passing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca), they make it a place of springs; The early rain also covers it with blessings. ⁷ They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; Each of them appears before God in Zion.” (84:5-7)

- Baca is a: “noun derived from a verb which signifies to ‘weep’. This present world is to us this valley of weeping; in our passage through it we are refreshed by the streams of divine grace, flowing down from the great fountain of consolation” (Horne)

We too as Christians are “pilgrims and strangers on the earth”, “temporary residents” whose true home is in heaven:

^“Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges [those dishonorable desires] that wage war against the soul.” (1 Peter 2:11) (Hebrews 11:13)

We will have to face so many trials in this world, but if we continue to seek Him with all our heart:

^“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].” (Romans 8:37)

The psalmist in the following verse (84:10), continues to express how he longs for the house of the Lord and how important and more valuable than anything else this is, as well as spending his time serving in His house, even as a door keeper!. Whatever this world offers is nothing, compared to the privilege of dwelling and serving in His House!

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (84:11)

Spurgeon explains that the Lord is: “A sun for happy days and a shield for dangerous ones. A sun above, a shield around. A light to show the way and a shield to ward off its perils… Grace is God’s first gift, and glory is His last gift. “Glory never comes without grace coming first, but grace never comes without glory coming last; the two are bound together, and ‘what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.’  (Romans 5:1-2).

Yes, the Lord will give grace (future tense). We have now received it through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

^“For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].” (John 1:16)

Finally, let us give praise to our God along with the psalmist with this last verse:

“O Lord of hosts, how blessed and greatly favored is the man who trusts in You [believing in You, relying on You, and committing himself to You with confident hope and expectation].” (84:12)

May this also be our prayer and our longing!

Blessings,

Mari

Easter is such a special occasion for us Christians to celebrate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and it is also a time when so many people (non-believers) around the world are eager to know more about Him.

This is a special time for us- who like them, “were dead in our trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13)-, and should continue to pray for our “loved ones” who are in the same condition we were. This special celebration is also a reminder for those who for any reason went astray:  that He gave His life for them in remission for their sins.

So I challenge you this Easter, to pray earnestly for your loved ones, just as Paul did for his beloved ones, that they would experience “godly sorrow”:

“For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Here Paul states the difference between sorrow and repentance.  They are not the same!  Someone can be sorry for their sin without truly repenting from it.  Sorrow describes a feeling, but repentance describes a transformation in both the mind and in the life of a person. (Romans 12:1-2)

* "Godly sorrow produces repentance unto salvation: Does this mean we are saved by our repentance? Not exactly! Repentance "is not the ground of our salvation; but it is a part of it and necessary condition of it.  Those who repent are saved; the impenitent perish.  Repentance is therefore unto salvation." (Hodge)

* "Repentance must never be thought of as something we must do before we can come back to God. Repentance describes what coming to God is.  You can't turn towards God without turning from the things He is against. "People seem to jump into faith very quickly nowadays.  I do not disapprove of that happy leap; but still, I hope my old friend repentance is not dead.  I am desperately in love with repentance; it seems to be the twin-sister to faith." (Spurgeon)

Since godly sorrow does such a great work, it is not to be regretted.  It doesn't feel good, but it does a good work, leading to Salvation.  The sorrow of the world is different, because it produces death.

 "In repentance there is a bitter sweetness, or a sweet bitterness - which shall I call it? - of which, the more you have, the better it is for you.  I can truly say that I hardly know a diviner joy than to lay my head in my Heavenly Father's bosom and to say, 'Father, I have sinned, but thou hast forgiven me; and, oh, I do love thee!'" (Spurgeon)

Let’s not lose hope and continue praying for the amazing work of His Holy Spirit through godly sorrow. This feeling will not be welcomed, because it can be very painful for our loved ones, but to us also! But we know that it is all for His Loving Purpose. Their Salvation!!

Blessings,

Mari