A Day In Your Courts

July 26

2 Chronicles 33-34

Psalm 84:8-12

Proverbs 19:3-4

1 Corinthians 5

A Day In Your Courts

“For better is a day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere.  I would choose to stand in the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.  For Yahweh God is sun and shield; Yahweh gives grace and glory;  no good thing does He withhold from those who walk blamelessly.  O Yahweh of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You!”  Psalm 84:10-12 LSB

In this passage the Psalmist was expressing a deep desire to be in God’s presence.  He knew from experience the profound joy that comes from intimacy with God.  He believed that one day spent in God’s presence provided more fulfillment and satisfaction than a thousand days spent anywhere else.  There are many ways to spend time in God’s court or in His presence.  We can enter into His presence in worship.  For many people singing songs of praise and thanksgiving or playing instruments help them to enter into a worship experience.  For others, listening to music focuses their attention on God.  Prayer can be a catalyst to bring us into His presence.  Studying and meditating on His Word can also be a means of experiencing the presence and power of God.    We can experience His presence anywhere we are because He dwells within us and is always with us.  For some they sense His presence most strongly in church, for others it is in the woods, at the beach, or sitting on the back porch.  The place is not as important as the state of your heart.    Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” NIV  Being still, quieting your mind and focusing your eyes on Him brings nourishment to the soul and peace to your heart. 

The psalmist contrasted time with God with seeking earthly pleasures or any other human endeavor and encouraged the reader to prioritize their relationship with God over all other desires and pursuits.  One of the lies Satan uses to keep people away from God is the idea that if you become a Christian you can’t have fun anymore.  He tries to convince us that living a godly life is boring and so you don’t want to get saved till you have done all the fun things you want to do first.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The peace and joy that comes from the life God has for us far outweighs any temporary happiness we can experience when we participate in the things this world has to offer.  Partying, sexual promiscuity, drinking, etc. may seem attractive for a time, but the consequences of sinful behaviors always lead to regret and shame.  They can also lead to addiction and destroy relationships.  All that glitters is not gold.  The peace, joy and contentment that comes from following God’s plans and experiencing His blessings result in a much better life.  The more time you spend with Him, the more you will long for His presence.