Seize the Moment – Day 1200
Practicing the Presence of God!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, June 30.
Psalm 84:10 may sound familiar to you, “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” It was transformed into a popular praise song by Matt Redman in 1995, and just reading today’s psalm caused my heart to sing out in praise to God – “Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere!” I love how so many of the psalms have been put to song, so that we can worship God, singing back to Him His Word.
From the first verses of today’s psalm, you feel the psalmist’s longing to be in the presence of God, “How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God” (1-2). To find yourself in the presence of the Lord is a pearl of great price, as Jesus taught in Matthew 13:45-46, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” On the cross, Jesus paid the price for us to have His presence; He made the way for us to enter the courts of His kingdom for eternity.
We no longer follow the pilgrimage trail to Jerusalem to enter the courts of the Lord; rather, we follow Jesus, and the Holy Spirit leads us to the throne of grace. Psalm 84:5 prophesied of this way, “How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion!”
Seize the moment and pray Psalm 84, meditating upon the presence of God – “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
God bless you!
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YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.