Better One, Than a Thousand
Today as I'm sitting here blogging (for the second day in a row which is a record for when I'm at school) Adam is sitting across from me on the other couch (note: his computer is making this really loud motoring/buzzing/hissing sound because it's old and working too hard, and I'm trying not to act annoyed about it...) and I'm thinking about a passage from the Psalm that we are studying this week in my small group--Pslam 84. The Psalm starts out by saying "How lovely is your dwelling place LORD almighty. My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the LORD..." and a few verses later gets even bolder and says, "Better is ONE DAY in your courts, than A THOUSAND elsewhere."
Sometimes I limit myself to thinking of God as Refuge from danger, and very present help in trouble. In fact, this truth is in the Psalm that we studied last week (46). But, I fail to remember that he is not just an escape from harmful things, he is somewhere where I should want to be more than ANY other place. Sure when I'm in danger, I'd rather be somewhere safer. Wouldn't you? But when I think about the places that bring me immense joy, peace, restfulness, excitement, I don't often think about needing to escape to God as a refuge. But this Psalm says better is one day in God's court, than a thousand days ANYWHERE else.
Better than a thousand days here:
Home--Gig Harbor, WA?
Mt. Rainier?
The Outer Banks, NC?
Capri, Italy?
Mexico?
Skyline Drive...in the Fall?
Wait, does this count for here too??
Charlottesville?
Or here??
Or HERE??
"Yes Elise, better is ONE day in My courts than a thousand days in any of these places you love. Don't you realize, I created each and every one of these? I know what beauty is. I created beauty. I embody beauty!
So, how much more beautiful must it be to dwell in My presence; in MY dwelling place?
Yes Elise, better is ONE DAY, than a thousand elsewhere. Period."
May you dwell in God's presence today, in this coming week, and always. And may your heart yearn and faint for the day that you will see Him in His dwelling place.
