Your Dwelling Place
Psalm 84:1-7
84:1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
Looking around at the beauty of the area in which we find ourselves living today, how can one help but appreciate our “dwelling” place. Nestled into the Hudson Valley, sheltered from most severe weather and other natural extremes.
Indeed, the sparrow, swallow and the Bald Eagle all find their homes here along with the with the host of creatures we love to coexist with and I guess a few we’d just as soon not see at all.
84:4 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah.
Holy One, we can only give thanks for the blessing of Your House, which is all of creation, of which we are not only a part but “caretakers or stewards” as well. Your House, our earth, so powerful and abundant in life and yet apparently not without limits.
Your gift of imagination and ingenuity have led us to each new source of energy and power driving our social and scientific development. Although we have not always foreseen the future effects of our current driving force, we pray that the same imagination leads us to a cleaner planet for all of Your creation to be in. Even today, as we contemplate leaving our earth to walk on other worlds, let’s not leave a dying planet but a thriving world.
84:5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
Yes! Happy are those of us who do find our strength in the presence of the Creator. As we gather together each Sunday to praise and worship, we strengthen our hearts and our resolve. We long for our hearts to truly become “highways to Zion”, highways to the Holy One. Together we will be livers of the greatest commandment, “Loving God above all and loving our neighbor as ourselves.” Respect for Creation and love for all people.
Peace, Pastor Steve
