“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.” –Psalm 84:3
I love church. Although I love my church family, it is more than them. Or the music and such. I love being fed the Word of God and encouraged by Christ my Good Shepherd through His people. No matter the ups and downs of the week and the ebbs and flows of my heart, I look forward to Sundays.
In Psalm 84, David is longing for worship. David sings, “How lovely is Your dwelling place” and “my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” This is a song sung from a heart not going to worship with anything else on his mind but an encounter with the living God. David isn’t bored with attending the gathering to worship God.
“A day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere” (verse 10). Other things, even good things, can wait. Sleeping in is for another day. David longs to rejoice in the Lord’s goodness with the Lord’s people. His longing is intense, knowing the Lord’s Day worship is better than a thousand days doing anything else.
This Psalm is meant to shape our hearts to desire for and find delight in the worship of God. I want Christ to dwell in my heart richly, and His Holy Spirit in me thirsts to be near the living God and with His church whom He loves. As Colossians 3:16 commands us, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” In other words, church.
So, David invites us to consider the sparrow. The sparrow finds rest and safety in God’s presence. In biblical thought, the sparrow is of the least value. Yet, God welcomes His created sparrow to find such rest and safety in Him.
I imagine David remembering sparrows and swallows gathering sticks and grass and various little treasures they find and building a nest in some of the nooks and crannies around the temple complex. These helpless, tiny birds find a home in peace and safety with their Creator.
Are we not more helpless than these tiny birds? And yet, sparrows enjoy God’s rest and safety. Brothers and sisters in Christ, the Father’s perfect peace is available to His children. Our God is a “sun and a shield” (verse 11). He not only protects His own (shield), His presence is warmth and light and life-giving (sun).
Consider such sparrows. Are you not more valuable than they (Matthew 10:31)? Your heavenly Father deeply cares for you. Do not allow your heart to drift from an intense longing for Him into a numbness toward the things of God like driftwood follows the current of a river.
Each step of our journey in life needs our Lord’s provision, peace, and protection. We face troubles and fearful things, yet our burdens can be cast upon our caring God, and our peace and protection along the way is due to His nearness to us.
We face many troubles which stir anxiety in our hearts, troubles our minds and wearying us as we try to control our lives, and we are bogged down with guilt. The Prince of Peace secured the sinner’s access to the Father. All our sin was punished on Christ on His cross, and we are treated by the Father as if we lived His perfect life. Trust in Jesus who has overcome this world; Jesus who protects our souls from the many troubles of this world.
Have you lost your longing for God, friend? Has church became just another thing on the schedule, something that can be easily missed for events you value more? Like church has become just another clanging symbol in an already noisy calendar?
Ask the Father to fill your heart with longing for Him again. Pray for wisdom to serve in His church as we encourage one another in our longings for Him to consider the sparrows He provides for, makes homes for, and grants peace and protection for. How much more will the Father give to His children?
Heavenly Father, You are full of compassion for Your children, giving us a home with You to delight in Your presence and enjoy Your peace and protection. Grant to us hearts to enjoy Your church, the gathered worship of Your holy name, to be encouraged and to be faithful encouragers to Your saints. Stir in our hearts a longing knowing one day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
