Sermon: Finding A Goal Worth Pursuing
Psalms 84:1 How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts!2 My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my body cry out for the living God. 3 Yes, the sparrow has found a home and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even at Your altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they continually praise You. Selah
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the paths to Zion. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they makes it a spring; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; every one of them appears in Zion before God. 8 O Lord God of Hosts, hear my prayer, and give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah
9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed. 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give favor and glory, for no good thing will He withhold from the one who walks uprightly. 12 O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You.
Introduction: The psalmist describes the attitude of one who has found a life goal worth pursuing. He has experienced pure joy and satisfaction in the presence of God. The Psalmist continually longs for the presence of God. His greatest desire was to experience nearest to God and to receive the blessing suited for him. For in the presence there is fullness of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures evermore. During his day, the psalmist envisioned going to the house of God as a wonderful pleasure and a high honor. Even before he arrives, he imagines the presence of God, spiritual strength, answered prayer, God’s grace, goodness, and glory! Yet He knows those who cannot always go to the house of the Lord, can always go to the Lord of the house.
In these few verses, observing the psalmist attitude, it brings me to the question, “what am I pursuing? What do I long for? If I only had one day to live, how would want to spend it? Where? Why? Maybe I would spend it doing something I always wanted to do, but never got around to it. Maybe I would choose to spend it with close friends or family. Wouldn’t be wonderful to live everyday as if it were our last day. Rather than chasing after some fantasy, the Psalmist found the one thing worth pursuing and everyday his goal was the same. In these verses, the psalmist seems to be considering those thoughts. He concluded, finding your purpose, enjoying your relationship with God, and sharing his goodness with others was living the dream. Living one day like that is better than a thousand days away from God. It is a joy to serve and please God. Re 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
There are so many preparing for Black Friday, the holidays, and travel. They are rushing and running, pursuing all kind of things that will not satisfy. Why? Because you and me, and all of creation were created for the pleasure of God and to bring glory to him. Finding pleasure and purpose apart from God will only lead to temporary satisfaction. In our text, Psalmist wanted to find and be in his own place.
1. The Psalmist Found a Place to Belong. Psalms 84:1 “How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my body cry out for the living God. 3 Yes, the sparrow has found a home and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even at Your altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they continually praise You. Selah”
I am amaze as watch the birds in my yard. They are never worried or anxious. They always sing with a sound of satisfaction. Nature seems so at peace, in harmony and restful. So the psalmist longs for his place of service. He says, I rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God that to enjoy all the wealth and luxury of the evil. The psalmist knows that God has a purpose for the small bird, how much more does he have a purpose for those created in his image and likeness. The Bible makes it clear that God has a special place of service each one of us. Now, while some positions are more visible than others, none are more or less valuable than others. To find your place, to use your gifts of service is a goal worth pursuing. A place is a place of service, but also a place of surrender. The word “my God” seem to infer a sense of devotion and loyalty to God. A place of belonging includes a place of surrender. My joy and contentment will be determined by my submission to God’s will. The songwriter once said, “the safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of God. Our place of belonging is a place of service, a place of surrender and a place of satisfaction. The Psalmist Satisfaction comes from trusting that God’s presence will provide all he needs. Staying with God on our worst day is better than being with Satan on our best day. The psalmist seems to have learned something that we all should know. “All Satan’s apples have worms.” Nothing is more satisfying that serving the Lord , knowing his will and being led by His Spirit. The psalmist found a place to belong!
2. The Psalmist found a Place of Provision. 5 “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the paths to Zion. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they makes it a spring; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; every one of them appears in Zion before God. 8 O Lord God of Hosts, hear my prayer, and give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah”
The provision God provides includes his presence, his promises and his plenty. He sees God as a sun that touches everything and blesses everything. The Lord provides Strength along all life’s journey. Even in the valley, there is refreshing water and nourishment. “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me and what life bring to me.” His presence provides comfort on the journey, lights our way and gives us guidance. Then, He also provides protection on our way and will keep his promises. Our road may be long, yet we go from strength to strength. Whatever we need on this journey he will supply. The pandemic will not defeat us, trials will never discourage us, because God will strengthen us. Ps 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” Then the psalmist says, “every one of them appears in Zion before God.” The simple phase reminds us, that every one of them will make it safely home.
The Lord delights in providing for His children. We are his children, the sheep of his pasture. We have no need to worry or fret, because is a place we belong, and provisions are available for His children. We are the Lord’s people, under His protection and care. Consider the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, we are so much more valuable that they.
3. We found a Promise to Share. 11 “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give favor and glory, for no good thing will He withhold from the one who walks uprightly. 12O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You.”
It is important for us to have a place to belong, a place of provision, and a purpose for living. The Psalmist concludes the psalm with a proclamation. He has found a true to proclaim. So he closes the psalms by praising and exalting God. He reminds us that genuine joy and blessedness are produced only when you have found something worth pursuing. Worldly pursues, apart from God, will disappoint us. Trying to find satisfaction apart from the God who created us will frustrate us. A fish cannot apart from water, a plant cannot live apart from soil. The real genius of a fish can only be seen when its in water. The world needs to know that God is not trying to keep them from blessing, He wants to bless them. The person who walks in faith, trusting in the God who created them with discover their genius, their purpose, and a place to belong, a place of provision, and a purpose for their life. Like the psalmist, God’s people need to be in the business of spreading the Good News, serving the Lord will pay off! We have a word to share, “the Lord will give favor and glory, for no good thing will He withhold from the one who walks uprightly. O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You.” Our purpose must include sharing the gospel of grace. God gives unmerited favor and will allow his light to shine through us. No good thing will he withhold form you!
People are constantly searching for a place to belong. They are trying all kind of clubs and organization, all kind of styles, clothes and etc. All trying to find a place to belong. They can never find it apart from their creator. Re 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Psalms 100:1 “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."
