And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
--Psalm 23:6b
I have a problem with the last phrase of our verse for today: my whole life long. (In these meditations, the Bible version used is the New Revised Standard Version.) I much prefer the older, traditional translation: I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
In Cathedral City, California, there is a well-traveled road. On one side, there is squalor. There are signs of significant poverty. On the other side, there is lavish luxury. A rock wall, replete with vines, moves toward a guarded gate with a waterfall in front of it. Behind the wall, there are homes valued in the millions.
In the Old Testament, the ark of the covenant, was sheltered in a tent. Later, it was enshrined in the temple. God is into housing!
But what kind of final home will ours be? Cathedral City offers a study in contrasts. So does a study of the Bible. When King David wrote the words above, he wasn't home yet. But he was on his way. He knew where he wanted to dwell, and, far more importantly, he knew where he would dwell. The house of the Lord was the piece of real estate that he was after. Generations later, that Son of David -- also the Son of God -- bought the property for David and for all of us in His death and resurrection.
PD
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