Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Better is One Day in His Courts

Marybeth Babu
Long Island MTC, NY

“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

 
Psalm 84 was written for the Sons of Korah. These men were in charge of the orchestrated music that played in the tabernacle during the time of King David.  They also played an important role in the specific services that took place whenever the Ark of the Covenant was in Jerusalem. Consequently, these worship leaders had a clear understanding of the importance of being in the dwelling place of God.

In Psalm 84:2, the psalmist exhibits an intense longing to be in the presence of God. In fact, he states that both his heart and flesh cry out for the living God. This meant it was not just a spiritual or emotional feeling but also a physical craving. Furthermore, verse 10 states, "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." The psalmist makes his choice clear: to him life is most complete when it is spent in the presence of God.

Now the question is: why don't we make bold declarations like these when we worship the Almighty God? It is necessary for us to be aware of the things that prevents us from prioritizing God's presence in our life over other things. Moreover, I believe some of us today think our God withholds good things from us, especially when things occur differently from what we had planned. However, we should not let the enemy manipulate us with these lies. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us God has plans that are meant to prosper us and not harm us and Romans 12:2 reminds us that God’s will is good, pleasing and perfect. And so we see that Scripture assures us that there is no reason to doubt in God's plan for us. Therefore, let us make the decision to actively pursue life in the presence of God.

PRAYER

God, we pray that You stir in us a desire to be where You are. Forgive us for placing idols in our lives that distract us from Your presence. We pray that we may boldly declare that one day in Your courts is truly better than a day anywhere else. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Our God does not withhold good things from his children.   

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