God's Dwelling Place

Psalm 84 begins with the words, “How lovely is thy dwelling place, O Lord.” The Psalmist speaks of his love for being within the gates of the Temple at Jerusalem. “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 live in the tents of wickedness.”

Summer is a time when many of us are on vacation, and church attendance is typically quite low. (I’m also going to be away from church for a Sunday.) All of which raises the question – are we away from God’s dwelling place when we are away from our home congregations?
Many will find a local congregation of their faith tradition when they’re away. In that way, they can still practice their faith, though not at their home church.

But as I Kings 8, depicting the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, has Solomon proclaim: “Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!” Churches and temples are indeed places where we go to experience closer contact with God, but God is present outside these places. Indeed, it could be said that God is in these places at least partially because when those who love God come to church, the God that lives in their hearts comes with them.

So God who fills heaven and earth, and who lives in our hearts, will accompany us on our vacations. This is not to minimize the importance of church attendance – in isolation, over time our faith will wither. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Do not neglect the assembling of yourselves together, as is the habit of some" We need our brothers and sisters to strengthen us in discipleship, and to redirect us when we stray. Nonetheless wherever we go, whether we’re “on the way to Cape May” or enjoying the beauty of the mountains, whether we’re “staycationing” close to home or traveling abroad, God who lives within us is with us.