January 22
“Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells,” Psalm 26:8.
The psalmist expresses his love for the house of God, where God dwells with His grace and glory. This is assuming that the particular house of God is a place where Christians gather to hear and read His Word, to sing His praises, to pour out their prayers, to bring their gifts, and to receive His blessing.
The house of God should be a place where one loves to go to hear not just what one wants to hear, but what one needs to hear for the sake of one’s soul salvation. What does one need to hear? The apostle Paul wrote to the young preacher Timothy, “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching,” 2 Timothy 4:2. The message that one needs to hear is the message of Law and Gospel, the message of sin and the Savior.
When we were at the Seminary, we were told that we should never step into the pulpit and begin preaching with the apology, “I’m sorry, but I’ve been so busy this week that I’m not really prepared!” Just start preaching and the people will know whether or not you are prepared! You need not tell them!
To be prepared for the work before them, clergymen should heed the words of Paul to Timothy: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” 2 Timothy 2:15.
When we go to the house of God, we should know where we are going and why. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, we are told, “Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil,” Ecclesiastes 5:1. It is a foolish waste of time and money if you do not go to the house of God for spiritual growth.
The house of God need not be an impressive, elaborately designed building. What makes it the house of God? God’s presence with His grace and glory! Think of Jacob when he dreamed of a ladder that reached from earth to heaven. The Lord God spoke to him and assured him of His presence. When Jacob awoke, he said, “‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.’ And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven,’” Genesis 28:16-17. God’s presence with His Word makes a house the house of God. Incidentally, Jacob was sleeping on the ground, with a stone for a pillow!
The Bible also warns us that the time will come when people will not love the house and the true Word of God. Paul wrote to Timothy, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires because they have itching ears they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables,” 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
Members of Christian congregations should insist that their pastors preach the true Word, the Word of the Law and the Gospel, the message of sin and grace, the message of God’s love for sinners for whom Christ died on the cross.
“Lord, open Thou my heart to hear,
And through Thy Word to me draw near;
Let me Thy Word e’er pure retain,
Let me Thy child and heir remain.
Thy Word doth deeply move the heart,
Thy Word doth perfect health impart,
Thy Word my soul with joy doth bless,
Thy Word brings peace and happiness.” Amen.