One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. Psalm 27:4-6

What does it look like to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life? What does it look like for me to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple? What does it look like for me to keep looking to Him in the midst of the battle when I see and feel the enemy’s fiery darts all around me and can’t see the LORD because the darts are so thick and intense? Those are the questions I have been pondering and meditating on these verses a lot lately.

Psalm 27:4 has been my favorite verse — my life verse — for a number of years. I want to live it and walk it out. I want to spend my time sitting in the LORD’s presence, meditating on Him, focusing on Him, studying Him, and becoming more like Him. It’s easy to do when things are going well. When life is slow, steady, and without chaos, drama, and spiritual attack. It’s more difficult when I’m bombarded with the fiery darts of the enemy, and I can’t see the LORD in the storm. When He seems far away, it’s easy to complain about Him allowing the arrows and storms and have the “Why me??? Why don’t you stop it???” mindset. How often have I chosen complaint over running into His protective arms, seeking His presence, meditating on His Word, and choosing to pour out my pain, sorrow, and confusion at His feet and then sit quietly listening for His still small voice?

What a picture! To be actively engaged; remaining in God’s presence in all aspects of life. Dwelling directly and permanently in God’s presence — forever, without interruption. “Gaze on the beauty of the LORD.” This is a picture of stopping, paying close attention to, deeply observing, and contemplating intensely. It is studying the LORD and meditating on Him — absorbing everything about Him into my being. When the storms come…when the enemy tries to trip me up…when life gets hectic, instead of turning my eyes away from the LORD, those are the times that I need to look into His face more intently. Those are the times I need to sit at His feet more frequently and listen more intently to what He has to say to me. Those are the times when I need to talk less. I need to be still, gaze, listen, soak in His presence, and absorb all that He has to show and teach me. May I learn what it means to dwell in the house of the LORD, gaze on the beauty of the LORD, seek Him in His temple, and just be — calmly resting in Him amidst life’s chaos, storms, and fire — gazing on His beauty — letting His love, peace, mercy, grace, and protection wash over me, fill me, sustain me, and cover me.

Lord, may dwelling in your presence, gazing on your face, seeking your company in all seasons of life become my lifestyle. May I grow in my intimacy with You in such a way that it becomes more and more natural for me to make Psalm 27:4-6 my lifestyle. May I be forever in Your presence, always looking towards You, surrounded by You, sitting in Your presence in everything I do. I want Psalm 27:4-6 to be where I live from, relate from, operate from, and do life from. May each of us make it our priority to walk out this verse. So be it.

As I sit here meditating on Psalm 27, I hear the Lord speaking to my heart, “Listen to me, daughter. Come away from the noise and craziness of your life and sit with me in my sanctuary. I want to talk with you. I want to fellowship with you. I want to commune with you. I created you to walk with me, talk with me, sit with me, and commune with me.” This reminds me of a poem I wrote and put in the poetic devotional and journal I published.

Listen
by Susan Miller

Listen —
Set aside the cell phone
Look into my eyes.

Listen —
Please remove those earbuds:
Your disregard I despise!

Listen —
Pencil in some time.
Let’s grab a cup of tea.

Listen —
Stop rushing here and there.
Please make some time for me!

Listen —
Step away from Facebook.
Let us chat awhile.

Listen —
Set aside your hectic schedule.
I miss your sunny smile!

(Listen is taken from the Poetic Devotional & Journal: Peaceful Moments: Finding Rest Amidst the Storms of Life by Susan Miller)

Lord, I choose to come, sit in your presence, and listen.