“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!” Psalm 84
Not long ago I decided I was going to set aside uninterrupted quiet time to worship God. Each time I had tried before, I would begin praising God, trying to get my mind and heart completely on Him, and something (or a few somethings) would begin to totally distract me. When I awoke before all the kids, they’d hear my knees crack as I rounded the corner of my bed. When I would sneak outside while they were busy playing or eating a snack, they instantly sensed my missing presence and hunted me down.
Such was the case one evening as they settled down after dinner to watch a movie. The sun was setting, creating a beautiful backdrop for a perfect (quiet) worship session. I quietly slipped out the back door and pulled up Psalm 84 to have something to help direct my thoughts. I got to the second verse when all 5 kids threw open the door with a, “Hey Mom! Whatcha doin’?” I felt unnerved and defeated, wondering how people do this whole worship thing. I was about to ask the kids to go watch their movie and give me 5 minutes, when I realized all the girls were “oohing” and “aahing” over the sunset. Why on earth would I send them in to watch TV when God was obviously inviting them into worship as well?
“Girls, doesn’t it seem as if God is trying to get our attention? Listen to these verses.” I read Psalm 84 to them, and we discussed the parts that really seemed to speak to us at that moment. I won’t give you all the details, but will tell you that “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly” was the perfect ending.
God satisfied my heart with a feeling of true worship and blessed my efforts. Was my mind 100% on Him the entire time? Honestly, pieces of it were worried about the toddler getting into ants, the older ones not listening to every single word I spoke, and the 3 year old laughing so loudly at her brother that no one could hear me. But in the end, God blessed that experience beyond measure. How great He is to judge our hearts, see the stuff that’s lacking, and determine to bless us for the simple efforts we put forth. My prayer is for more moments like this in our home. As much as the Father invites my children to worship Him, I want to as well.
Check out verse 5: “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.” I want the highways to Zion to be in my heart! It is my hope that these highways are always present for my children (and others) that they may find their way to God.
Lord, thank You for never requiring perfect worship from us. Thank You for Your tenderness toward busy moms that desperately seek You while juggling all the other tasks given to them. Help us to experience You in real ways throughout our days, because we are seeking to please and worship You. May our hearts contain the highways to Heaven, ever pointing our families in the right direction. Thank You for not withholding any good thing from Your followers. Amen.