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Daily Devotion: Psalm 27:4-6

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Psalm 27:4-6     "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.  (5)  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.  (6)  And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD."

There are times in our lives when we say either out loud, or to ourselves, "If I only had ______..." (You can fill in that blank.)  Our minds take us on emotional highs and lows. We say when we feel that ecstatic high, "If I could only feel like this all the time."  We say when we are down in the valley of despair and decisions and struggles, "If I could only get that feeling back that I had yesterday, or the day before, or whenever."  We really cannot rely upon our feelings and emotions to get us through each day.  As we read through the Psalms, we can see that David experienced those same feelings. There were times when he felt "on top of the world," and there were times when he was going through that "valley of the shadow of death."

How did David cope with these feelings (at least for the most part)?  Though we know David was not a perfect man, we see his heart being displayed throughout the Psalms.  Each time he would begin to feel himself going lower in his thoughts, he would turn his heart toward the Lord.  This Psalm seems to be David's expression of his source for renewal and refilling himself with the things of the Lord. Where did he go to find the answers or even the encouragement in order to continue on with his life? "One thing have I desired of the LORD." There is one thing that he could say, "If I only have one thing in life, let it be my relationship with the Lord."  David realized that when His daily walk with the Lord was where it was supposed to be, he could face every situation and circumstance that would come into his life.

There is one thing I desire, "that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life."  Did this mean that David wanted to literally be in the physical house of the Lord all the time?  If it was possible, that may have been in his thoughts, but it seems to me that the one thing that David truly needed in life was found when he was in God's house, worshiping and serving the Lord with others of like mind.  It was during those times of worship that his heart and mind would be refilled with the resources needed for daily living.  Think about these things. How is your heart set concerning the things of the Lord?  Are you struggling? We all struggle from time to time, but there is Light, Strength, and Deliverance in the Lord.  Ask Him to help you refill that reservoir inside you.  It's amazing - the difference between confronting life with God or without seeking His help.  

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