Devotion – June, 23
How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord of heavenly forces!
My very being longs, even yearns,
for the Lord’s courtyards.
My heart and my body
will rejoice out loud to the living God!
Yes, the sparrow too has found a home there;
the swallow has found herself a nest
where she can lay her young beside your altars,
Lord of heavenly forces, my king, my God!
Those who live in your house are truly happy;
they praise you constantly.
Psalms 84, 1-4
It is certainly not so that I am old and tired of living. But I do not feel at home here. Where is my home? Through many removals I am connected with many cities and landscapes and here, where I live now, I feel good. And yet: Life is more than a migration; – It is not a real home. It goes through dark valleys, and sometimes you have to climb a large mountain, it goes over dangerous torrents – Jesus became the bridge for me – and it goes to quiet places where you can relax. Of course there are tasks to be done and of course there will be struggle. And yet I do not lose sight of my goal: The Lord himself is waiting for me! Certainly we should make it ourselves nice and cozy, as far as possible. But we should not allow ourselves to capture and entangle us in a short thinking. Our home here is not our goal!
God does not dwell in a temple made of stones. And, however large and beautiful, it could not grasp God. The sky is the place where He dwells. There it is gorgeous! And my journey’s end is where He reigns. That’s why I long for Him! Because there is really my home. At His heart, His presence, – there I’m home.
It’s nice that we already get a taste of Him and His nearness here on earth. He is close to us! And He can be found by those who seek Him sincerely. His presence refreshes my heart and fills it with new courage again and again. So many times He has intervened and shown His power and glory. So many times He has already shown how He loves me and how He waits for me. Yes, He is wonderful!
Thank you, Father, that You wait for me. Now I’m here on earth and go my way with You, but You Yourself are my goal and once I will be with You. Then I can rest from it all. It’s nice that You accompany me today and never let me out of sight. It’s wonderful that I’m safe and secure with You.