Tuesday February 4, 2020
I should be sleeping right now. A combination of a bright moon shining into my bedroom and hubs breathing deeply beside me woke me up.
I don’t mind any of it.
I learned long ago that when I wake in the night the Lord usually has a reason. I started praying and waiting on the Lord to draw my mind to someone who needed me to intercede on their behalf. I thought I’d fall back asleep quickly but felt like I needed to get up and write instead. It’s 2am.
So, when you read this…it was written for you today because the Lord very specifically wanted you to see this.
Can you grab your Bible and turn to Psalm 15 with me?
sacred place
Verse 1 “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?”
Prior to the temple being built, the “Tent of Meeting” was the most sacred place to meet with the Lord, it was the sanctuary. In it you were face-to-face with the Lord. It was where you made your sacrifices and were cleansed from your sin.
Intimate. Holy. Communion.
A refuge and a dwelling place of the righteous.
Restoration. Refreshing. Renewal.
Relationship.
Lord how can I know you more? What will I see when you reveal yourself to me? Will it be too wonderful to describe, too beautiful to explain? I long for it.
sacred meeting
So, who’s invited to this sacred meeting?
David is wondering who can approach the Lord, the Holy One. Who can come before the God of Israel in a face-to-face meeting?
I’m reminded of Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
Call to me, the Lord says…set aside time, take the effort, put down your purse and car keys and clear your schedule. Bend and direct your thoughts towards the Lord and he will answer! And he won’t just give basic answers, but he’ll reveal unsearchable things, deep things, deeper than all the questions I’ve ever had. He’ll tell me.
Do I want to be there? At this sacred meeting, this private audience with the King of Kings? Yes, a million times yes.
sacred heart
I love how clear the Bible is.
If I’m invited into the deep things of God that can only be found in the sanctuary what does my life look like?
- I live a blameless life
- I act righteously
- I speak truth from my heart
- I don’t slander
- I treat my neighbors right
- I don’t mock others
- I detest wickedness
- I honor those who love the Lord
- I keep my promises even when it hurts
- I lend to those in need without adding interest to what they owe
- I cannot be bribed
sacred safety
The end of verse 5 says that if I do these things I will never be shaken.
I won’t be pushed off course, pushed around, grow weak.
I’ll be safe. I won’t falter.
I look at this list and feel so far from the perfection it seems require. I’m immediately aware of my sinful nature and black heart.
But just as quickly I remember that perfection isn’t the goal. Only God is perfect and only his Son was perfect and I cannot be, by virtue of my sinful humanity. So if perfection isn’t attainable on this side of eternity, what do I do?
sacred surrender
I live in complete surrender to the work that was done for me by Christ as he hung on the cross. He died for me while I was yet a sinner. He didn’t demand perfection before he laid down his life for me, all he asked is that I accept the gift that he had for me.
My heart is at the heart of the matter. In David’s time they brought sacrifices to atone for their sin, but now I cling to Jesus.
If I want to live in the sanctuary, if I really want to be enveloped in the sacred then my heart needs to be completely surrendered to the Lord.
I give up the selfishness that blocks entrance to the sanctuary.
I give up the desire to protect myself.
I give up the ungodly need to do it in my own strength.
I give in to Jesus.
Lord, thank you for the riches of your word. Thank you for the clarity of it, and the hope that you give that when we call to you, you answer. I am so humbled that you cleansed my life of all it’s ugly sin so that we could commune together in your sacred sanctuary. I long to know the deep things, the unsearchable things that only you can reveal. Help me to stay surrendered in humble obedience to you. I love you Lord.
reflect…
- Have you ever felt that you didn’t belong or weren’t allowed into the sacred places of the Lord?
- What does this chapter help you understand?
- Would you like the Lord to reveal himself to you in deeper ways?