O LORD, who shall sojourn in thy tent? Who shall dwell on thy holy hill?
There are several of what can be called ‘first order’ questions. Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? And of course, What’s the meaning of life? Those questions often precede us in our journey to faith in Christ. All people ask them eventually.
But, for the Christian the greatest question changes. Once we become spiritually aware of our journey with God in this world, and that it is leading us toward another world, we realize we’re not fit for the life with God in the next.
There is an interesting paradox discovered by all the saints of the ages. The more we grow in the Spirit of Christ, that is the closer we get to God, the less holy we feel, the more sinful we see ourselves. This is because we realize more and more how infinitely holy God is. Our goal post is always moving further away the closer we think we get. We can never be completely like Jesus Christ. But, Thanks be to God He gives us his grace to redeem us and purify our hearts so that our intentions may become pure towards Him. This is what it means, to use St. Paul’s words, to be “sanctified entirely” (1 Thess. 5:24).
It is in the realization of this paradox the Psalmist, David, asks the greatest question of the human heart – who can live on Your holy mountain, O Lord? The question is asked many times, in many different ways, and by many different people throughout scripture. But, the answer is always a variation of the same thing.
We must live blamelessly before the Lord. Verse three tells us our blameless ways must flow from our hearts. To live a holy, sanctified life, we must have a pure heart that issues forth into the works of pure hands. Then, we can do the works of righteousness He prepared for us before the foundation of the world (Eph. 2:10).
Where are you on your journey with the Lord? Have you come to place of asking that greatest of questions? Have you heard His answers? I hope so. Know this, the journey never stops, we never fully arrive in this world. God will always take you further than you ever thought you could go. There may even be more questions. But, the Spirit of the Lord is ours in ever increasing measure if we ask Him to accompany us along the way.
Shalom,
Pastor Brad.
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