“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.” Psalm 23:6
“I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, O Lord,
proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells…
My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.” Psalm 26:6-8,12
“One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple…
I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord…
You have said, ‘Seek my face.’
My heart says to you,
‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.'” Psalm 27:4,6b,8
God Almighty sits enthroned above heavens and earth, and also makes His dwelling among men. Who can comprehend this ubiquitous Sovereign, this personal and loving Lord of lords? Our grasp of His abode- beyond and within us- is limited, yet the Lord, through our ongoing journey with Him, increases our desire, love, and delight for His habitation. The more time we spend at His altar, the more we adore Him. (Psalm 103:19; John 1:14; 14:16-17)
“A little Sanctuary art Thou to me!
O Jesus, best belov’d! I live with Thee;
My heart has found its everlasting home,
Its sure abiding place where’er I roam.
A little Sanctuary art Thou to me!
My heart is still’d beneath love’s canopy;
The ‘Holiest of All’ is open’d wide,
And I may enter and be satisfied.”
As He dwells with us in the hallowed place, we also dwell with Him. We carry that intimacy into opportunities to rejoice among His people in a physical sanctuary, where the saints gather for worship, sacraments, teaching, and fellowship. When we open the doors to the house of the Lord, the place His glory dwells, we partake of a divine gift the Creator has given His children. Made in His image, we have spiritual fellowship with other believers, our spirits uniquely testifying and communing with one another. (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 90:1; Romans 8:14-17; Ephesians 4:4-6)
Availing ourselves of both private and corporate fellowship pleases God, renews our souls, and increases our delight in Him as we recognize Him in others and witness His glorious work. We magnify His glory as we encourage one another in truth and Christian love, sing His praises, and tell His marvelous deeds. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
“A little Sanctuary art Thou to me!
No fabled shrine, but deep reality!
Thou saidst it should be so when at Thy call
I rose and follow’d gladly, leaving all.
A little Sanctuary art Thou to me!
All joyfully I pitch my tent with Thee;
Or ready still to journey at Thy word—
‘In Thee’ I ‘live and move,’ most blessèd Lord.” ~Emily Crawford (1890)
Are we cherishing God’s holy habitation and the assembly of the saints? What new beauties have we beheld, and how are they changing us?
Lord, keep me seeking Your face, in church and among Your people, and singing for joy.
As the rain and snow 