March 11, 2007

Better is One Day
Psalm 84

I. Introduction

Many of you know that a little over a week and a half ago we celebrated “Ash Wednesday.”

(Testimony)

Historically Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, which is a forty day period of preparation for Easter.

For many in the church this is still a time of humbling oneself, repentance, and refocusing on spiritual disciplines such as fasting, prayer, and Scripture reading.

But for many, Lent either has no meaning (even for Christians) or, as is reflected in the huge Mardi Gras Festival, has become a season of pursuing anything but God.

For others there is the lingering effect of humbling oneself through fasting and prayer, but it is only a religious observance and not something that draws that person towards Christ.

Read: “The Irish Joke”

In the three weeks we have before Easter Sunday, I want to talk about what Christians call “The Spiritual Disciplines.”

To begin that discussion, however, I need to lay the foundation that is needed if we are going to practice with any regularity and benefit from the spiritual disciplines.

In reality, these heart attitudes are not just about the spiritual disciplines, but they are about making a successful pilgrimage through this life toward God.

II. Setting Our Hearts on Pilgrimage – Psalm 84

How do we set our hearts on pilgrimage?

A. We keep the end in mind

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!” (verse 1)

In order to get “home” to God’s presence, the Psalmist knows that there is a journey to be made. Later in this psalm, he describes this journey as “happy” (“Blessed is the one...”), because the thought of the destination motivates him.

Even through harsh, difficult, dangerous places, the psalmist reminds himself “how lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty.”

This is a very clear picture of our journey/pilgrimage through life. Our destination: the Heavenly City - God’s eternal presence.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes
and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44, NRSV)

Why do we fast, pray, read and study the Bible, attend church, give, etc.?

Because we believe these disciplines will lead us towards His dwelling place!

How do we set our hearts on pilgrimage?

B. We cultivate a passionate love for God

Psalm 84 is a love psalm – it is a psalm of passion. Not the passion of a man for a woman, but the passion of a human
being for God.

This Psalm is about a pilgrim who is longing to get to God’s house - he has this intense desire for the House of God. He
longs to be with the company of God’s people, worshipping.

Look at verse 2:

“My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

This psalmist so longs to be in God’s presence that he seems jealous of the birds who have built their nests in the temple!

“Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young — a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.” (verses 3-4)

Do you long to gather with the people of God and spend time in God’s presence?

When we come to church, read our Bibles, and pray do we realize the amazing opportunity that has been granted to us
by God?

Or have we become too familiar with these “normal, routine” practices of Christianity?

I wonder what our motivation would be like if we were to meet with … (fill in the blank) we would spare no
effort – nothing would be too much trouble. We would be excited, anticipating, and ready.

For the writer of Psalm 84 there is no sense of a boring routine. He has left his work-a-day life behind him. He is heading
up to worship, and he is longing for God’s presence.

How do we set our hearts on pilgrimage?

C. We look to God for our strength.

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you…” (verse 5)

The Christian life is not merely hard - it is impossible without God’s strength.

If you ask, most Christians will agree that we can’t make it in our own strength, yet so many do not take steps to ensure God’s strength for themselves.

Then when the journey/pilgrimage gets difficult, what happens?

How do we live in God’s strength?

“He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. 30 Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; 31 but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31, NRSV)

How do we live in God’s strength? We wait on God.

How do we do that? Prayer, worship, the word, etc.

Do you want to successfully complete the journey? Then learn to practice the spiritual disciplines!

How do we set our hearts on pilgrimage?

D. We pursue God unconditionally

“…who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.” (verse 5)

People whose hearts are set on a journey don’t get side-tracked and that is what I mean about pursuing God unconditionally.

“As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ 58 And Jesus said
to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ 59 To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ 60 But Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ 61 Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ 62 Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” (Luke 9:57-62, NRSV)

If you put conditions on whether or not you will follow Jesus, the enemy will always test you in that area.

Share about how I had to surrender the safety of my family to God – I had said I will work with gang members, Lord, as long as you keep my children safe.

III. Application

I am going to finish looking at Psalm 84 next week, but let us conclude today by looking at the results of a life whose heart
is set on pilgrimage.

When we keep the end in mind, cultivate a passionate love for God, look to God or our strength, and pursue God unconditionally there are some positive results especially when we enter the more difficult seasons of our lives.

First, we will turn our trials into opportunities for growth and blessing.

“As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.” (verses 6-7)

Trials and difficulties are common to every person on the face of the earth.

And if some well-meaning person has suggested to you that Christians aren’t supposed to have trials – that we’re never supposed to ever have a cold, that we won’t ever experience sadness or loss, that we shouldn’t ever feel a financial pinch – then I think you should go back to that well-meaning person and invite them to read their Bible through again.

When you seek after God you do not need to pretend the trials don’t exist; but you will begin to see your trials as opportunities.

“As they pass through the Valley of Baca”

The Hebrew word “Baca” comes from a root word which means: “to mourn, wail, or lament”. “The Valley of Baca” is literally: “The Valley of Weeping”.

Some of you here this morning are painfully aware of the Valley of Baca – grief beyond measure.

But in Psalm 84 it says that if your heart is set on the journey, you can see the Valley of Weeping become a spring.

What to others is a place of bitterness can to you become a place of blessing – a place of growth.

Look at verse 7 again: “They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.”

I wonder if Paul was thinking of these words when he wrote:

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)

We go from glory to glory! How can this be? When we constantly look to the Lord we receive the grace we need to go
from strength to strength and not from weakness to weakness.

The second result of setting our hearts on pilgrimage is that we have a confidence to pray and ask God for whatever we need.

We are confident because we are familiar with his character and assured of His disposition towards us.

“Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob.” (Verse 8)

At this point we have an interesting word. Who has their Bible and will read the word at the end of verse 8?

It is “Selah.”

Now we are not positive, but most biblical scholars believe this word to mean it is time for a musical interlude – a time for reflection.

As we pause for this week, it is my prayer that you will reflect on what we have spoken of today and may you enjoy a “musical interlude” until next week.