Friday, January 24, 2020

When the Elephant is a Sanctuary

[1] 
Friday, January 24, 2020

The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid?  The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?  When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.  Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid.  Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.  The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.  For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary.  He will place me out of reach on a high rock.  Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me.  At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.  Psalm 27:1-6

Yesterday the elephant was the one that put the fear of God in our little mission group; today’s elephant is the sanctuary of a mother’s protection felt by her calf.  David’s heart reveal in this Psalm is how his focus is singularly on dwelling in the house of the Lord all the days of his life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.  But this is not the temple made with rock and mortar.  David wasn’t looking for a hidey place to check out of reality and spend his days strumming a harp; instead he understood his greatest need was the temple of that relationship between God and human.  It is that holy place where the expectant heart surrenders to the sovereignty of God, and your life is ever directed by God’s Spirit.  It is the marriage of creator and creature restored to its’ intended unity and purpose.  It’s when the soul is placed on the altar, offered unconditionally to the unseen God.  It’s where we have given all of what we know of ourselves to all we suspect God might be.  Sanctuary comes with surrender!
Do you remember that question you asked over and again?  It’s that one about when God might show you His will for your life.  The question is asked in many ways, just give me a sign, God…Father, I don’t know what to do…hey, preacher, what does God really want me to do with my life?  The main problem with this question is that it is usually attached to a string.  We want God to fill-in all the blanks before we sign the contract.  But a life of faith just doesn’t work that way. 
To live in the sanctuary of God and know God’s protection, providence, and guidance, you must enter by faith, and proceed entirely on faith.  That is our example from every faithful saint throughout history.  Consider Abraham:

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.  And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.                                   Hebrews 11:8-9

For You Today

There’s no greater sanctuary than a heart filled with faith and occupied by the Spirit of the Holy One come down!  When it comes to knowing God, and enjoying life in His Kingdom, we start, proceed, and finish with faith. 
You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO


[1] Title Image:   Pixabay.com    Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

No comments:

Post a Comment