Psalm 23:6b
As I finish the 23rd psalm, today’s
lesson is perhaps among my favorite of this psalm and of all of the Bible. The spiritual need that I had which led me to my salvation
was simply this: I wanted to go to Heaven! I still want to dwell in the house
of the Lord forever. I am a little jealous when I go to a funeral and while
there is still work to do here on earth, Paul said to live is Christ and to die
is gain.
The Persuasion: “I will dwell…” God wants me to be
assured of my future dwelling place. 1 John 5:13 says, “These things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son
of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may
believe in the name of the Son of God.” Yesterday we saw the surety of
earthly blessings, but our eternal blessings are equally sure. Eternal life
would not be very long if you could lose it. Paul was persuaded than nothing
could separate him from the love of God (Rom. 8:38). He told Timothy, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded
that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
The psalmist didn’t say “I hope to dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.” He knew he would.
The Place: “…in the house of the Lord…” Wherever Christ is, that will be the house of the Lord. Revelation says that Heaven will come down to earth and Christ will reign here so Heaven is wherever Christ is. Until then, we have a place, and it’s a place that began with the thief on the cross. Jesus assured that criminal who died with Him that he would be in paradise with Christ the same day. Luke 23:43 says, “And Jesus said to him, Verily (most assuredly, truly) I say to you, Today you shall be with Me in paradise.”
No “could”.
No “maybe”.
No “might possibly be with Me.”
Paul assured us that we would be
immediately in Heaven. 2 Cor. 5:6-8 “Therefore
we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in
the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight). We
are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be
present with the Lord.”
The Permanence: “forever.” We may not permanently be in
the heavenlies, but we will permanently be in the house of the Lord, in His
presence. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says we will ever be with Him: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord.”
What will we be
doing there? We will be reigning “forever” and then the Apostle John adds“and ever” in Rev. 22:5.
Shepherd like a Savior continue to lead me.
Allow mercy and goodness to be what I leave behind.
I so much look forward to dwelling in
Your eternal house, my mansion, forever.
Amen.
Allow mercy and goodness to be what I leave behind.
I so much look forward to dwelling in
Your eternal house, my mansion, forever.
Amen.
