December 27, God with Us

Today’s reading: Psalm 131-135

“He swore an oath to the Lord, he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: ‘I will not enter my house or go to my bed, I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob’”
- Psalm 132:2-5.

David swore an oath that he would build a house for God’s presence, and that house, the Temple, has been the focus of Israel for the last 3,000 years! Yet David’s preoccupation with a building is not God’s highest priority, for God is more interested in living in His people’s hearts than in a building. Today, God’s people are still concerned, sometimes infatuated with “God’s house,” when it is only bricks-and-mortar, a functional place to house worship activities. Joseph had a dream that Mary was going to have a baby boy and that His name was to be Jesus, and Matthew explained why the significance of that name:

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means ‘God with us’)” (Matthew 1:21-23).

Does God actually live in a building, making it holy? Are you more concerned with church buildings, or God’s presence in the hearts of His people, including your own? What are the implications that God is living inside you? Lord, I carry You with me wherever I go! That is an awesome thought, but it also means You can’t go where I don’t take You. This coming year, I need to do a better job of introducing You into more of my work, family, church or school situations. I want to be a God-carrier to those who are hurting and need to know You. Amen.