Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells. (Ps. 26:8)
Last year the American president visited Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in London. As television cameras recorded the images of the two leaders greeting at the entrance of the palace, a wider shot showed the flag flying atop the building. A commentator reminded viewers that the flag is always flown over Buckingham Palace when the queen is in residence.
When David wrote Psalm 26 and talked about loving “the house where you live,” obviously he was not thinking of a palace made with stones. Solomon’s temple was yet to be built, but the tabernacle stood in Jerusalem as the place symbolizing the presence of God in the midst of his people. In David’s mind, it was God’s house.
Paul took it a step further when he wrote, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? . . . Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Cor. 6:19–20).
We used to sing a little chorus with children that said: “Love is a flag flying high from the castle of my heart, that the King is in residence there.” Now the place God most wants to dwell is in our hearts.
In fact, Paul prayed for that very thing. He said, “I pray that . . . Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Eph. 3:16–17).
Open your heart so the King can take up residence there.
Ron McClung lives in Fishers, Indiana, with his wife Carol. He has written his weekly column, Positive Perspective, for more than thirty years.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
