Can I Live Here?

“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?” – Psalm 15:1 (NIV)

Have you ever visited or toured a house that seemed too exquisite to live in? Certain domiciles are so grand and elaborate that they may make us wonder if anyone could consider them as home. And there are temples of worship that invoke such awe in us that we want to remove our shoes as we stand on the ground of their sublime sacredness.

But not many of us seek to live in houses of high holiness. It seems rather hard to get comfortable living daily in the presence of God’s exalted excellence and fathomless majesty. Certain beauty seems just too immense to behold habitually.

Still, the psalmist lets us know that the invitation to live in God’s holy house is not determined by lofty ideals or by esteemed acts of holiness. The invitation to dwell in God’s holy place is determined by pedestrian acts of justice that are well within the common purview of everyday people.

The invitation only requires that when we speak, we speak truth from our hearts. It only requires that we do not tell lies about the people around us. It only requires that we turn away from evil, and that we respect all that embodies faithfulness. It only requires that we value integrity, and that we help the poor, and that we stand in solidarity with those who have been falsely accused.

The qualification and the invitation to kick back, relax and get comfortable living in God’s holy place are not nearly as high and unattainable as many of us assume. They are evident daily.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for lowly access to high and lofty things. Amen.

About the Author
Kenneth L. Samuel is Pastor of Victory for the World Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia.