One day, all of those who have placed their faith in Christ, will worship and dwell together. Those who were once far off will be counted among those who are called children of God.
Where Psalm 86 was a cry of “I belong to you, Lord” – Psalm 87 is the Lord confirming, “Yes, you belong to me.”
The Lord records as he registers the peoples, “This one was born here” (vs 6).
It doesn’t matter from where you’ve come , what you’ve done, what pit you were rescued from, what mistakes can never be undone.
When you repent and trust the gospel – God sees you and says, “This one was born here. She’s mine.”
Sweet friends, the Lord isn’t afraid of your feelings. You’re not too much for him. Not too needy. He can handle it.
Not only can he handle your feelings, he can also:
• hear you, answer you (vs 1) • preserve you, save you (vs 2) • be gracious to you (vs 3) • gladden you (vs 4) • listen to you (vs 6) • teach you (vs 11) • strengthen you (vs 16) • show you favor (vs 17)
Don’t hold back. Pour your heart out. Cast your cares. Unload the burden. Cry out.
You belong to the Lord and he is willing and able to care for you.
Those words were loud in my spirit this morning. So often I’m desperate to hear from the Lord and can’t understand why I can’t hear him. Or wonder how I am supposed to discern his voice from the world’s voice from my own voice.
This morning, I’m asking myself two questions.
What can prevent me from hearing from the Lord?
• distraction • unforgiveness • busyness • my own voice • pain • sin • not being in the Word
Have you ever experienced this longing deep in your soul for something more? Do you ever get to the end of the day and think, “There must be something else?”
I love this psalm because it reminds us that, as believers, we are all on a journey. We are not home and, so, there is this undefinable thing inside of us – this restlessness – to remind us that we are not yet there.
Psalm 84 is a bit like a roadmap of reminders for our journey.
• Our ultimate destination is the presence of the Lord (vs 1.)
• The longing in our souls is meant to spur us on (vs 2.)
• Scripture contains songs for the road – to uplift and encourage us (vs 2.)
• The Lord awaits our arrival and has a place prepared for us (vs 3.)
• The Lord provides strength for the journey (vs 5.)
• The Lord will bless those whose hearts are committed to the journey (vs 5.)
• As we travel, we are to bring life to barren places – light to dark places (vs 6.)
• We do not travel alone – they go, they make, they go (vs 6-7.)
• The destination is totally worth the journey (vs 10.)
• The Lord provides good things along the way (vs 11.)
There may be steep hills to climb On we walk – one step at a time Though valleys come – we march through Knowing the road leads us to You
