Camping Out

O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly and do what is right; who do not slander with their tongue nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; who stand by their oath even to their hurt and do not take a bribe against the innocent. – Psalm 15, excerpted (NRSV) 

It’s an indirect compliment to God, this psalm about who is righteous enough to dwell in God’s holy tent: “Only those whose lives are without fault can dwell in your presence, O God, because you are so magnificently righteous! Only those whose words are reliable and whose relationships are honest may reside with you, O God, because you are so trustworthy and good!” 

Which is great and fitting praise for God, to be sure, but I can’t help wondering if God’s vast holy tent isn’t rather lonely. Who among us is blameless enough to dwell there? 

Meanwhile, on the next hill over from God’s holy hill, a bunch of us are camping out. 

Patching the thin spots in our tents but trying to live life without damning others. 

Cursing a bit over our meager campfires but trying to keep them going. 

Trying to cooperate with our neighbors more often than we scorn or gossip about them. 

Probably trying to go too easy on the truth too often—with ourselves and with each other. 

There’s community among those who dwell in these less-than-holy campsites on the hill next to that holy hill. There are bright stars to watch through the holes in these tents of ours. There’s rain that comes in, too, depending on the day, and the mess of human nature dwells there: distrust and rage, arrogance and fear. It’s not always a pretty place for camping. 

I’m grateful that God’s tent—even if it’s too holy for most of us to dwell in—isn’t a place to which God is confined. I’m grateful that God sneaks away from that holy hill occasionally to wander among our modest tents and join us by the fire.

Prayer
All praise to you, O God, for you are holy and just. Thank you for finding us where we are, far beyond the walls of your own tent.