Saturday Sermonette - Lovely Dwelling Places

How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! Psalm 84:1

I looked for but couldn’t find the music that runs through my mind when I see this verse. Found lots of others, but not this one. Sorry.

When I “see” this verse, I see beautiful sunsets, seascapes, rainbows, mountain streams, a full moon reflected on a clear lake, wildflowers blooming on a hillside. You know what I mean. Beauty in nature.

However, a little while back I saw a post on Facebook from a friend wanting to put God back into the White House. Friends, this may be a revelation, but He’s always been there. It doesn't matter if we like whoever is President or not, God is there. The Bible says God is everywhere. Besides, it also says God is the one who determines who the rulers of nations are.

His dwelling place can be beautiful and majestic, a pleasure to behold, or it can be a clapboard tenement house with peeling paint. God is there. He’s there in the bars (even though not in evidence). He’s there in huge cathedrals of countless denominations.

Because, you see, each one of us who claims to be a Christian (whether practicing or not) is His dwelling place. Check out 1 Corinthians 6:19.

And His dwelling place is lovely. We look at the outside of a person and think their nose is too long or their hair is greasy or their clothes are ready for the trash heap, but Jesus looks at the inside and says we’re lovely.

How can He do that even when we know how ugly we can be?

I don’t know, but He does. Just the way we are, we’re lovely and loveable. God says so, and His Word stands like a boulder in a shallow stream. What an awesome God we serve.

Lord—Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. May I look on all Your dwelling places with Your eyes. Amen.