Devotionals

---

One thing I ask of the Lord;, this I seek: To dwell in the Lord’s house all the days of my life . . .
Psalm 27:4a

When we think of a house, we think of a building of some kind inhabited by a family. What comes to my mind when I read this passage is that I am dwelling of God. Also, God dwells in other people, as well as in nature. This passage is so powerful! The author of this Psalm, David, is asking to always be aware of God and to keep his mind focused on God. As His children, where else should we turn?

However, as most of us are aware, we often go other places for the help we need. We become self important and want to be in control of everything. This the time when we need to remember this verse, re-commit ourselves to God, and remember all He has done for us. We must remember that His love is constant and strong He is waiting for us to return to Him, just like the father waited in the story of the prodigal son. If you read that story closely, you will see that the father comes running to the son even before the son can finish apologizing. That same love is available to us.
When I talked to my spiritual advisor last week, I talked about God being the reason I am here on earth. He is the reason I am living. My only purpose in life is to try and love God and my neighbor with my heart, soul and mind and to love myself (in a healthy way). There is no other reason I am alive.
This is why this Psalm means so much to me. It expresses the deep desire of my heart, which is to always be connected to God. It is encouraging to know that, even when I fail—which I am sure to do—I will always have a loving God to welcome me home.

. . . To gaze on the Lord’s beauty, . . .
Psalm 27:4b

The Lord’s beauty is everywhere. You can’t help but thank God when you watch a fiery sunset. When you watch the innocence of a baby, you know God is surely present. I am sure you have your own examples of the beauty God has shown you. I see each new day as an opportunity to be aware of the new situations—or new people—God is going to bring my way. Sometimes, I imagine I only have a short time to live, and I ask myself, what would I want to be aware of in this world before going home to God? Though I am not sure this is the best way to appreciate God’s beauty, it helps me be aware of today and the people I meet. I don’t use it as a “fear of dying” exercise. Instead, I use it has an opportunity to love more. I am not sick and I am not in a dangerous situation, therefore I fully realize the chances of my death at that moment are slim.
A more positive way to focus on God’s beauty is to start the day with short prayer in which we give our eyes, ears and mind to God, so that we can be open to the beauty and the love He has to show us today. We can strive to be grateful for another day in which to see the goodness in others, and let them know they are to be respected and treated with dignity. Since I work with adults who have severe mental illness, that is my goal every day.

Sometimes, we should simply meditate on the goodness that surrounds us. Maybe you have a backyard with flowers. Sit quietly, and let the flowers speak to you. Not literally, of course! Meditate on the rose, and know that you and the flower are created by the same God. The peace you will feel is incredible. Or, move your hand through water when you are taking a bath. Perhaps this reminds you of your holy baptism. Take a simple object and allow yourself to be with it. This can be a wonderful form of praise and prayer.

You might wonder how this is related to the Lord’s beauty. Remember, these objects were created by God, and, in some way, God is present in it. So, when you are mediating on the object that means something to you, you are mediating on God. You are letting God speak to you through your prayer to Him.
Gazing on the Lord’s beauty can also mean meditating on the love God has shown you. Think of the many gifts God has given to you. Your family, the skills you have, your health, your friends, and the list goes on. Every day, I try to think of the blessings God has given me that day. You can also think of the times you have prayed when you have sensed God’s love. You may want to recall when you have received communion. That is such a powerful presence of God! Maybe there is a special song that reminds you of how much you are loved. Perhaps your reminder is a painting, a photo, a sermon, or a spiritual retreat you have attended. There are a vast number of ways you can experience God’s love.
Often, I remember those times, then relive them in my mind. I allow those memories to wash over me, and I sit with that reflection. I let it speak to me in anyway that it wishes. Many times, it leads me to action of some kind. I will reach out to someone or to a ministry of some kind. I simply can’t keep this love experience I’ve had inside. It is meant to be shared. I have a strong yearning to share it. This happens simply because I gazed on the Lord’s beauty.

I also see the Lord’s beauty in the people I meet everyday. Though I work with adults who have severe mental illness, I have also worked with children with severe physical disabilities. One child I mentioned in my book Joyful Surrender was about eight years old, at the time, and she didn’t have arms or legs. What she did have, however, was a positive attitude and a desire to achieve the goals she had set for herself. When I see one of the staff helping one of the people who attend our program in a caring manner and connecting with that person, isn’t that God’s beauty? Of course it is! And it is a blessing to observe His glory in action.
There are many other examples of God’s beauty, but I think you now get the idea. His beauty helps us realize how alive and active He is today. We know that Jesus lived many years ago, but He is actually still alive today through the examples I gave, and through the many more examples you could give.

. . . to visit His temple . . .
Psalm 27:4d

It seems logical to think of His temple as a church or place of worship. It can certainly include that, but I think it also includes our own bodies. They are also a temple of God.
So what does it mean to visit His temple, if we are that temple? I believe it means to look at ourselves honestly and without judgment. We are to look at not only the gifts we have been given, (such as dancing well or singing), but also the areas in ourselves that might not be easy to face.

The things we might need to examine might be the way we try to control others, our hesitance to forgive someone who has hurt us, or our prejudice against someone or a group of people. We don’t want to beat ourselves up when we look at these things. When I do this, I usually sense Jesus smiling at me, letting me know that He knows I am human, but is glad that I am trying to follow Him in a more complete way. I believe Jesus will do the same for you.

This is the time to remember the earlier reflections we had on how much we are loved by God. There’s a reason you want to reflect on that, first, before we look more honestly at ourselves. If we don’t, it is much easier to be ashamed or become depressed. I think Jesus might say to us that, of course, we have things we need to change. It is okay; nobody is perfect. In fact, God made us that way.

When I reflect on why God may have made us with challenges, I think His purpose was to have us realize that we need to turn to Him for forgiveness and strength. We also may need the help of others to assist us with our weakness. It is humbling to realize and admit that we have weaknesses. Again, I want to focus on not putting yourself down or beating yourself up during this process. Facing our human foibles actually helps us become closer to God and more aware of our need for Him.

Another outcome of this is that we become more tolerant of other people weaknesses. How can we judge another person when we may have the same weakness they do? We can car for others, realizing we may have no idea what they may be going through at any given moment. To us, they may seem rude, but they may be suffering difficulties. When we look at our past, we may recall when we were stressed and unintentionally spoke rudely to someone. We have all done that.
While looking at God’s temple, don’t forget to look at the beauty inside of you. For many of us, this is hard, because it may seem like boasting or being self-centered. I see it as looking at the internal gifts God has given us. This could be your desire to love God and God’s people, the enthusiasm you may have for life, or perhaps your gentle nature. Maybe your sense of humor is your gift, or it could be your ability to listen to others. It could be any number of things. These are gifts God has given us. We are meant to share them, yet we can’t share them unless we recognize what they are. Then, we can thank God for giving us these gifts, and use them to bless others. I see it as a partnership. God gives us these gifts, and then we share them with the people we meet every day.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE