We live in crazy days. For someone ready to be done with it all and to just be in God’s presence for most of my last twenty years or more, days like these make me realize how much I want to be home with Him. I’m not giving up. I know as long as I’m alive, God has things for me to do. I want to serve Him with everything I have until He brings me into His presence.
Until then, I admit there is a part of me that feels like I am just biding my time, doing what I must do to get by until I get to be with Him. Reading Psalm 84 this morning only reinforced my feelings.
Several times in Psalm 84, the psalmist refers to God as “The Lord of Hosts”. I know this has many connotations, but the word “host” stuck with me. When we meet Jesus, God will be hosting us in His dwelling place. We won’t just be with Him, He will host us. When Jesus walked the earth, He told His followers He didn’t come to be served, but to serve others (Mark 10:45). God does not change. When we meet Christ, He will still seek to serve us. God will host us, and Jesus will serve us. It almost seems sacrilegious to say that. I am not worthy to be hosted or served. And yet, by the grace of God, the blood of Jesus has made me worthy.
It blows my mind to think of such things. My deepest desire is to be with the Lord, but it is hard to fathom that His deepest desire is to be with me. God designed us for fellowship with Him. He created us in His image. Everything has been done with an eye towards the day we will dwell with Him in perfect unity. He will host us, and we will serve each other with a love and logic we can’t possibly understand. While it may be beyond my comprehension, I know it’s something I want. I want to dwell with my Savior forever. There is nothing more worth spending our lives on than this.
Towards the end of Psalm 84, the author writes, “The Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord gives grace and glory; He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity. Happy is the person who trusts in You, Lord of Hosts!” (Psalm 84:11-12). What a promise! If we will live with integrity, He will be our light, our provision, and our protection. And we will be happy. We will delight in the Lord, and He will prepare a place in His courts for us (John 14:2-3). He will welcome us as honored guests and provide for all our needs. It is overwhelming, but it is true. Amid the chaos enveloping our world, think on these things and give praise to our God, who waits expectantly and with joy to welcome us into His home and into His arms.