Psalm 24 Praise God for His Living Word!  We can read the same psalm or book or verse - over and over again - and the Lord takes it and breathes into us new and fresh meanings..  This psalm speaks to me today in a new way today as I think about other things I have recently read and heard.  Let me try to pull together these thoughts - 

One devotional about the Kingdom of God has been emphasizing the fact that we were created by God "in His own image".  We are image bearers. The writer says this, "It means that for better or worse, we are God's 'brand' in this world, the artwork on the walls and ceiling of His chapel, the icon on His social medial page, the public face of His invisible nature."  Jesus, the "exact representation of His nature" is our model.  He has given us His Spirit to restore us into that perfect image.  

Another book I am reading speaks of God's "great desire" to "dwell with man."  It is why He has done what He has done.. why He sent Jesus to ransom us and restore us... so that we might become a holy sanctuary in which He might dwell. 

And yet, a third book.. a book of praise prayers that I have recently revisited.. brings me to a prayer thanking God for how He made me - "uniquely designed and created"  for His purposes!  That along with the Soul Care book that I am working through... pushes me to evaluate myself based on who God has made me to be and not the lies I have allowed into my soul's foundation. I am created to be His dwelling place... 

All that to say, that when I read this psalm today, I am drawn to the idea of being my Lord's sanctuary -as Paul wrote ".. do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" ( I Cor. 6:19)  

David wrote, " Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?"  Who can come to the Tabernacle - the Sanctuary?   "And who may stand in His holy place?" Who can BE His sanctuary.. His holy place? The answer is "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully."   It is the one who has been redeemed, the one who has been restored.. the one who will seek the Lord.. who has received "a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation." 

It is the next 4 verses that bring this all together in my heart.. "Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of Glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle."  The Spirit of God calls us to lift up the gates of our souls - for the King of Glory wants to come in and dwell IN us.  We have each been uniquely designed and created for His purpose.. that He might dwell in us. That we might be His sanctuary and His exact image.. pure of heart, cleansed and restored by the His holy Presence.. to the glory of His Name!

Father in heaven, King of glory, Lord of hosts, strong and mighty,  enter into these gates and dwell in us!  Complete the work that You have begun in us, Your children.. Your image bearers.  The whole earth is Yours.. and all it contains.. the world "and those who dwell in it.."  We are Yours, Lord God,  Your people, the sheep of Your pasture.. and praise God.. we are Your sanctuary!  Come fill our lives.. our souls and spirits.. our minds and bodies.. with Your Glory.. to the praise of Your Holy Name. Amen.