Dwell in the Lord’s house

Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” The 23rd Psalm is filled with God’s promises if we only trust in Him. These verses tell us what God can do for those that put their trust in Him. He is like a shepherd who cares for His sheep. He provides all their needs. He gives us peace to live a life without worries and fear. He restores us to Him. When we are struggling in the valley, He tells us to fear no evil because He is with us. He will protect us and fight for us. He looks to the future and tells us to sit at the table He has prepared. He has chosen us and invited us to take part in the celebration that is in store for us. The Psalm ends with His promise that goodness and lovingkindness (mercy) will follow us in all our days. And we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. When I read this Psalm, I envision all that God does for those who put their trust in Him. John Newton’s song “Amazing Grace”, says ‘I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see’. John 9:1-41 tells us how Jesus healed a man blind from birth. Verse 8 says, “The neighbors, therefore, and those who previously saw him as a beggar were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” The Pharisees also asked the man how he could now see. Verse 15 says, “Again, therefore, the Pharisees were also asking him how he received his sight, and he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” They did not believe him and went to his parents and questioned them. The Pharisees then went back to the man, and I love the man’s response. Verse 25 says, “Whether the man is a sinner, I do not know, one thing I do not that whereas, I was blind, now I see.” In verses 30-31, says “The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.” In a previous blog I referenced Jesus telling His disciples how a man with 100 sheep would leave the 99 to go in search of the one who went astray. How once he found it, he would carry it on his shoulders and rejoice that it was found. We may not understand the scope of God’s lovingkindness and mercy, but what we do know is God cannot lie. When He is our shepherd, we will not want. We will not fear. He provides peace in the midst of our storms. He invites us to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. All we need to do is turn from our sins and accept the invitation Jesus gives us. He’s looking for the ones who have gone astray and will bring you back to where you belong.