Have you ever met a person, and it was obvious their life revolved around one thing – one primary interest – one real love in their life? I listened to a man speak passionately on ‘climate change,’ and anthropogenic contributing factors otherwise referred to as the destructive practices of humans. With intensity, he addressed what he believed to be the urgent global need for all countries and peoples to enact and enforce legislation to alter the doomed trajectory of our planet. It was unmistakeably clear – he was living for one thing – one issue.
If you have spent any time reading the Psalms that David wrote, you will have noticed that he, too, had a life-long passion – the primary driving force and motivator in his life. Admittedly, there were a few sad, dark days in his life when he went off the rails in his singular pursuit; but as you study the entirety of his life, a single passion emerges – his passion for God.
One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple. Psalms 27:4
Solomon’s temple never existed in David’s lifetime. He never had the pleasure of being awed by its grandeur – its incredible architecture and dazzling splendour of gold and silver. David spent days on the battlefield, days in caves, days on the run, and days in his palace; and yet in this verse, he says he wanted to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life, to look on the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.
Temple? Did David mean the Tabernacle? But was it even around? Was it in Nob or in Gibeon and wherever it was, did David go to it? And if he did, was he allowed to sit in the inner sanctum and meditate? David was of the tribe of Judah – not of the priestly tribe of Levi. Only the priests in that day could physically enter the inner sanctum of the Tabernacle.
David’s life-long desire and pursuit was intimacy with His Lord – to behold His beauty. Perhaps the term’ house of the Lord’ for David was synonymous with just enjoying the presence of the Lord throughout his life.
Meditating and thinking about the Lord without interruption or distraction was David’s greatest joy. Even if he was a “fugitive on the mountains of Judah,” David’s heart was still towards the Lord. If communion with Him in the caves and in the wilderness and on the battlefield and in his palace was so sweet, whatever would it be like and will it be like – to be in His personal Presence and to just sit and linger there, cherishing every moment of meditation on the Lord!
Can I honestly say that my one overarching desire in life is to enjoy the beauty of the Lord and to saturate my heart and mind with thoughts of Christ? Is every other desire, dream and aspiration in life a distant 2nd? What is the greatest motivator in my life? What captures my mind more than any other single thing? Is He on my mind today, or is He being crowded out by other things?
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.
Warmly in Christ,
Peter Ramsay
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