Oh Psalm 132…you are really lovely aren’t you? I’ll be brutally honest, I read this psalm several times and simply put…I got nuth’n! Then I got some advice from this guy I know (begins with Simon and ends will Elliott) … Just concentrate on a few verses. So, let’s look at 4-5. “I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob”.
So from what I can gather, David is looking for a resting place for the ark. In that time, the ark was a token of God’s presence and previous attempts to shift the ark proved disastrous. There was no appropriate place for prayer to be offered and post-construction of the ark, there was a growing disregard for public displays of worship. David wanted some order and as any good King would do, he resolved to find or create a solution. David’s promise to God doesn’t muck around though right? He’s not going to sleep till he gets it ‘just right’. He certainly doesn’t mince his words to express the intensity of his plans. It can be viewed as brave and admirable but this time I read it a little differently. Some would say that David got a little caught up with finding the perfect place for God and that he placed far greater importance on the location itself than God intended, or was even interested in.
I’m not sure how many times I’ve come to God in the middle of the night lately. I’ve been woken for one reason or another. It’s very quiet in the middle of the night. No lights, no voices, no TV, no distractions. It’s in these quiet moments that I understand what it feels like to ‘long to dwell’ in God’s presence. Cause I can feel it here. I get the chance to feel it here. Not much ‘longing to dwell’ happens at 7:35am when there are school lunches to be made or teeth to be cleaned but I can feel the ‘longing’ in the middle of the night. Here’s the thing though…
This psalm awakens me to the fact that God wants to dwell in me always. He’s not particularly interested in my physical locality nor does he need me to find the perfect space or place but he LONGS to dwell IN me…. always. How good is God? That simple fact is seriously good news!! There is no perfect room, no perfect light or lack of noise, no perfect temperature or beautiful scenery to have God come and dwell in us.
Don’t get me wrong, quiet time with God is important, it’s essential. I’m just reminded that it’s not the only time that God dwells in me and I don’t need to make the perfect ‘ambience’ for Him to do so. I am created in His image. He loves me and He is with me during every moment of every day. So if anything, I would look at David’s promise in this way.
“Dear God, Help me to realise that you long to dwell in me always. There is nothing that I can do, make or create that will take your ‘longing for me’ away. By accepting that you love me and acknowledging that you are Lord of my life, I am preparing a place for you. Not just in my quiet time, but in my ‘every’ time. I invite you to share everything I do and say today. You are the Mighty One. Amen.”
Here are some encouraging scriptures to remember:
Although, life doesn’t seem peaceful at times, we are perfect in his sight and his peace is perfect “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all those thoughts are fixed on you” Isaiah 26:3
God is love! So love one another. “But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us – perfect love” 1 John 4:12
We are surrounded to God every moment, we’ve “been crucified with Christ and [we] no longer live, but Christ lives in [us]” Galatians 2:20
Blessings beautiful people.