The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 87:1-7,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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"He has set his foundation on the holy mountain;
the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you, O city of God:
'I will record Rahab and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me-
Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush-
and will say, "This one was born in Zion."'
Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
'This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High himself will establish her.'
The Lord will write in the register of the peoples:
'This one was born in Zion.'
As they make music they will sing,
'All my fountains are in you.'"
After freeing the Jews that were held in slavery in Egypt, and following a forty year wandering in the wilderness, God brought them to the land of Canaan. It was the city of Jerusalem in that land that God chose to have his temple built among his people. There the glory of God was to be found and there the temple worship would continue as it had in the tabernacle God had Moses build in the wilderness.
Jerusalem enjoyed the matchless prominence any place would have as the physical manifestation of God's presence. It wasn't that Jerusalem was great and so God made his abode there (as if to be acknowledging its greatness), but it was God's presence, his glory, that made Jerusalem great.
the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you, O city of God:
'I will record Rahab and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me-
Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush-
and will say, "This one was born in Zion."'
Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
'This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High himself will establish her.'
The Lord will write in the register of the peoples:
'This one was born in Zion.'
As they make music they will sing,
'All my fountains are in you.'"
After freeing the Jews that were held in slavery in Egypt, and following a forty year wandering in the wilderness, God brought them to the land of Canaan. It was the city of Jerusalem in that land that God chose to have his temple built among his people. There the glory of God was to be found and there the temple worship would continue as it had in the tabernacle God had Moses build in the wilderness.
Jerusalem enjoyed the matchless prominence any place would have as the physical manifestation of God's presence. It wasn't that Jerusalem was great and so God made his abode there (as if to be acknowledging its greatness), but it was God's presence, his glory, that made Jerusalem great.
In what feels like a view of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ from Zion, we read in verse 3 the Sons of Korah saying, "Glorious things are said of you, O city of God". Such a great city that in the Lord's own "register of the peoples" it will be written that "this one was born in Zion", acknowledging the honor one's birth there would represent.
Such is the glory of our Lord. Where he is, there is greatness. It is his very presence that makes it just so.
And so it is with us today, as he indwells us. In these vessels of weakness of ours, the Lord brings strength. In the midst of struggle with our own sin natures, the Holy Spirit brings change from within. Where the Lord is, there it is that greatness is to be found. Not because of that vessel but because of him who inhabits it.
The wonderful apostle Paul comes to mind as I think of these things. Were we to ask Paul, in his humility he would acknowledge he was nothing, but the Lord… now here is One to marvel at! And, yet, as I look at Paul's life, from the time of his persecution of the church and the martyrdom of Stephen to the time of his great, heartfelt concern for the churches the Lord brought birth to through him, I see greatness. A greatness that the presence of the Lord brought to Paul's life.
Wherever the Lord is, it is there greatness is to be found!
Such is the glory of our Lord. Where he is, there is greatness. It is his very presence that makes it just so.
And so it is with us today, as he indwells us. In these vessels of weakness of ours, the Lord brings strength. In the midst of struggle with our own sin natures, the Holy Spirit brings change from within. Where the Lord is, there it is that greatness is to be found. Not because of that vessel but because of him who inhabits it.
The wonderful apostle Paul comes to mind as I think of these things. Were we to ask Paul, in his humility he would acknowledge he was nothing, but the Lord… now here is One to marvel at! And, yet, as I look at Paul's life, from the time of his persecution of the church and the martyrdom of Stephen to the time of his great, heartfelt concern for the churches the Lord brought birth to through him, I see greatness. A greatness that the presence of the Lord brought to Paul's life.
Wherever the Lord is, it is there greatness is to be found!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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