Week of October 24, 2010, Psalm 84:1-7

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from the first part of Psalm 84, verses 1-7:
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O 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,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

Dear God, how lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! Our souls yearn from the deepest part of our hearts for Your courts, Lord; for our hearts and our bodies – every part of us – cry out for You, as the living God. You remind us dear God, that we need that central place that we call a sanctuary to gather to pray and praise You. We also know that we ourselves are that living sanctuary – even within us, and that You, O God, are that living God within us, abiding within each one of us. That sanctuary, whether it is a special place, or You abiding in us – it is about our relationship with You, Lord, so that we feel so comfortable in Your presence, so easy to approach You, that we feel at home with You – just as a sparrow has found a home, and a swallow has built a nest near Your altar.

Lord God Almighty, our King and our God, may we always be praising You. May we always set our strength in You. May we always know that even in the times of struggling and turmoil, or the dry desert times, that with You present with us, that place becomes a spring of water, a spring of life.

Thanks, Jesus, for Your presence with us, Your strength in the midst of life, Your peace that surrounds us. Amen.

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His strength and His great peace. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May we be more and more aware of God’s presence and power and strength working in our lives each day.