All You Need for The Trip

Reference: Psalms 84:2,5 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. . . .5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

Observation: How much do we really want to be in the presence of God? How many of us can say that our souls faints to be near Him? Instead, too often, we take His presence for granted. It is a nice thing if "God shows up" but it is far from essential. Perhaps the reason that our churches are, too many times, devoid of life is because we don't care to take the time to "cry out for the living God".

Why does the Psalmist put verse 5 (about the journey we are all on) near verse 2 about the value of being in His presence? Because only when we are intimately connected to the living God, getting our strength and emotional sustenance from Him, can we face the challenge of the pilgrimage.

What is the pilgrimage? It is the walk we are all called to be on. We often don't know where it will take us. We don't know what it will require of us. Yet, what we can and must know is where our strength for the journey comes from: God Himself. When we know that then our hearts can be settled; "I may not know where God is taking me on my life's journey, I may not know what I will face around the next corner, but I know He is going with me and that is good enough".

With that approach we can face life as a wonderful, God-given adventure instead of a source of anxiety and fear.

Application/Confession: At times I am passionate about pursuing the presence of God. Sometimes I walked around the auditorium of the church I pastor and passionately called for Gods presence and work. Other times I am far less passionate. I want, instead, to be passionate for Him all the time. I want to be excited about my life "pilgrimage" with God by my side.

PRAYER: Lord, I want you present, always, intimately in my life. When want to face life with excitement instead of trepidation because you are with me.