Worship Wednesday: Better is One Day

March 28, 2012 By

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!” Psalm 84

I heard this Psalm Sunday, and as is so often the case, it felt like God had orchestrated the service just for me. I’m in a season right now of seeking Him in a new way. I’m overwhelmed by how much I need Him to get through each day. My soul longs for Him anew!

I’m so thankful for the promise of these verses. “They go from strength to strength.” God has already provided the strength we need. We just have to walk, one step in front of the other, and He has new strength waiting there for us!

It’s also another Psalm that challenges me to look at my heart and examine myself. Better is a day in His courts than a thousand elsewhere. When I heard this for the first time many years ago, I related those words to heaven. I still believe that is the main meaning of these verses, but Sunday they hit me in a new way. To be in His courts can also mean to be with Him. In fellowship with Him, living surrendered to His will, whatever and wherever that means you are. One day living in God’s will is better than a thousand anywhere else.

Maybe I’m not the first to think of the verses in that light, but for me it was new, and just the words I needed to hear.

How has God been showing Himself to you lately?

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About Melissa

Melissa is a homeschooling mom to four children, ages9, 7, 4, and 2, with another due in May!. She loves blogging about her journey as a cloth diapering and breastfeeding mom - the good, the bad, and the chaotic, and helping other moms along the way.
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  • http://www.momsmustardseeds.com Rebecca

    Oh, to remember those sweet steps…only with him! I am always so blessed by your Wednesday posts! Thank you! – hope you’ll share over at Mustard Seed Planting

    • Melissa

      Thank you so much, Rebecca! I’m just moving slow this morning, but linked up now :)

  • http://leettlebaby.blogspot.com/ Alanna

    I love reading your posts, it’s pretty rare to find a blog where I actually read the posts instead of entering in the giveaways. Thank you for sharing His word.

    Months back, I had added a “verse of the day” app on my online store, and sadly lost a number of Facebook followers on my fan page. I removed the app, but re-added the app when I couldn’t sleep that night. I truly felt guilty for what I did, especially when I thought about why I opened my online store, with 100% of the profits going to World Vision. Then I began to wonder if people did not buy from me because of my cause and considered to quit.

    Guess what…when I woke up the next morning, I checked my e-mail only to find a receipt for a $100+ order placed a couple hours after I had re-added the verse app.

    I love the strength and reassurance the He gives us…the past couple of months have been pretty draining as I have been coordinating a cloth diaper fundraiser to purchase diapers for the DFW Cloth Diaper Project who in turn loans diapers to families (who are struggling financially) free of charge. I prayed continuously in the beginning to get sponsors to donate gifts that I could use in a giveaway to award those who participated and recieved “yes”es from all of the companies that I requested participation from, except for one that did not agree with my mission statement on my store website because it was Christian based.

    I felt like I could easily reach my goal of $1,000, but so far it has not been the case. I spent hours each day using every social outlet available, but no such luck. I seriously wanted to give up and label this fundraiser as a complete failure, but then this past week, every night I prayed to God to make this fundraiser successful, not just for me. I truly wanted to reach out and bless some families and through the action, experience the grace of God. Every day, without fail I get another donation and cannot help but tearfully thank Him for putting it on those giver’s hearts to give.

    • http://luvmycrzylife.com Lena

      This reply just blessed me beyond belief! Praising God that He has directed people to you just when you needed His encouragement!

  • http://jenniferajanes.com Jennifer

    Now you’ve got that song going in my head—”Better is one day in your courts. . .” Thanks! I love that song.

    I was thinking about the “strength to strength” part. That is so true, although sometimes it feels like the gap between strengths is a LONG leap. He’s always there to catch me and give me the strength I need when I need it, but not a moment before!

  • http://luvmycrzylife.com Lena

    When I have read this, I’ve thought of Heaven too, but you’re right. I think God is sending us the message in both ways – both in Heaven and in fellowship with Him on earth. Without the relationship with Him, imagine where we would be.

    Also, your blog makes me wish I had another baby just for all of the cute cloth diapers. I cloth diapered 2 and miss those days of big bums. :)