Reflection on Psalm 26 We all pray for a roof over our heads—it is a gift that not all people have. Those who do have homes know what and expense they are and some go to great expense to make sure their homes are just “so”. We should take heed though to the words of St. David, “One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek after: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the delight of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy temple.” Every day with our words thoughts and actions we are (or are not) building a home for ourselves in the Kingdom of heaven. Here you may have no house or live in the sum but there is nothing stopping us from building a mansion for ourselves in heaven—the Widow did it with only 2 pennies (mites). Poor or rich doesn’t matter—we are all on equal footing when building this heavenly home. But it takes effort as all things do—just being an average good person doesn’t cut it for our Lord said, “32 “…if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. … 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High”(Luke 6:32-35) So we must strive daily to build our home in Heaven. Daily prayers, holy readings and fasting are our tools our hammers and saws—Church Services, the Holy Sacraments (especially Holy Communion and Confession) are the boards, bricks, siding and windows—but the nails that hold it altogether are our actions and deeds of sacrificial love towards other. Without these nails all the other stuff just become a pile of unused material. If we want to build our heavenly home we must have both, which call us to live the life of the Church and to give of our time, money and resources—in short, the giving of ourselves in the service of others and not just those we feel like giving to. And if that hurts us a little bit than that is good—then we know it is the sacrificial love Jesus is talking about in Luke 6. The truth is every day we are building an eternal home for ourselves, where that home will be is up to us—whether it will be in heaven or somewhere vastly less comfortable. If we want to “behold the delight of the Lord” we have not time to waste—we must start building our heavenly house today. Take a moment and read Psalm 26 and let us remember, our houses here are only for a brief time—there the will last forever. Have a Blessed day, Fr. Stephen PSALM 26 The Lord is my light and my saviour; whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid? When the wicked draw nigh against me to eat my flesh, they that afflict me and are mine enemies, they themselves became weak and they fell. Though a host should array itself against me, my heart shall not be afraid; though war should rise up against me, in this have I hoped. One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek after: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the delight of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy temple. For He hid me in His tabernacle in the day of my troubles, He sheltered me in the secret place of His tabernacle, upon a rock hath He exalted me. And now, behold, He exalted my head above mine enemies. I went round about and I sacrificed in His tabernacle a sacrifice of praise and jubilation; I will sing and I will chant unto the Lord. Hearken, O Lord, unto my voice, wherewith I cried; have mercy on me, and hearken unto me. My heart said unto Thee: I will seek the Lord. My face hath sought after Thee; Thy face, O Lord, will I seek. Turn not Thy face from me and turn not away in wrath from Thy servant. Be Thou my helper; cast me not utterly away, and forsake me not, O God my Saviour. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord hath taken me to Himself. Set me a law, O Lord, in Thy way, and lead me in the right path because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the souls of them that afflict me, for unjust witnesses are risen up against me, and injustice hath lied to itself. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be thou manful, and let thy heart be strengthened, and wait on the Lord.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:23:04 +0000
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