“A glorious throne set on high from the beginning
is the place of our sanctuary.
O Lord, the hope of Israel,
all who forsake you shall be put to shame;
those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth,
for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
save me, and I shall be saved,
for you are my praise.” Jeremiah 17:12-14
“You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11
Set on high from eternity past and forever, God Almighty reigns. His is a glorious, everlasting throne, and He the unending hope of eternal life and source of joy. Draw near! The place where He dwells and rules is the place of our hush, our glad surrender, our praise. (Exodus 15:18)
Throne: chair or seat occupied by a sovereign or other exalted personage on ceremonial occasions; occupant of a throne; sovereign; office or dignity of a sovereign; sovereign power or authority.
Sanctuary: consecrated place; sacred or holy place; place set aside for worship of the deity. Derived from the Latin ‘sanctuarium,’ a container. A haven, a place of safety.
If a sanctuary is where we bow reverent spirits, lift our eyes, find refuge, peace, rest, and hope, where better than the throne of God? While a sanctuary can be a tangible place, for the child of God it’s more often intangible- a soul place where mind and heart collide in joyous worship of, communion with, and dependence on the one true Sovereign. God’s throne is where we behold with raptured breath His beauties and royal splendor. It’s where we lay desperate burdens of sorrow and need, where unmet longings are covered with compassion, where we find hope that has substance and the confidence to submit because His authority is unshakable, grounded, eternal, and righteous. (Psalm 27:4; 63:2; Hebrews 4:16)
Before what altars are we worshiping? Virtual popularity? Productivity? A collection of degrees, wealth, or awards? Have we made a sanctuary out of personal ‘me’ time or care rather than His presence, purity, and power?
In what ways do we separate religious practice from daily routine, sequestering Sunday sanctuary from weekday integration? Do we pretend to respect and laud God, but stubbornly refuse to surrender to His sway and insist on ruling every aspect of life? Would we stride reverently, vibrantly in the shadow and splendor of God’s throne?
“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!
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 (1902)
King of kings, please so hallow the sanctuary of my life that I exalt Your dominion and glory before Your unshakable throne forever. (1 Timothy 6:15; 1 Peter 5:11; Revelation 11:15; 19:16)
As the rain and snow 