“The Sweetness Of The Lord”

“One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty (to savor the sweetness) of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

This beautiful verse from Psalm 27 touches something deep in our hearts. It speaks to a longing, a longing that cries out to be satisfied. We all try hard to satisfy that longing, often with the things of this world. 

This “longing” begins when we’re young and continues into old age. “If only I had made the Varsity sports team in high school…. if only I received that “honor”… if only I had gotten that degree or that job or that promotion….. if only our kids had done this or that…. if only we could retire with good health with no money worries… if only our country would recover its greatness… if only the church would regain its holiness and be the force for Christ he intended…. if only, if only, it only ….then I would be at peace and satisfied. Then this deep longing in my heart would be satisfied. And when some of these things happen, we may enjoy and savor them…but just for a moment.

If we live long enough, we come to know that the “things of the earth” don’t satisfy that longing. In truth only Christ can satisfy that deep longing. The holy scripture illustrates this with wonderful words ….” dwelling in the house of the Lord… beholding God’s beauty…. savoring his sweetness.” Yes, that is what will satisfy my deep longing. I want to be with God where “all will be well”… where we can receive that perfect love, where there are no more tears and sorrow and no more suffering and death. Every one of us longs for that place. 

So, let us ask our dear Lord to help us receive all that he is offering to us… the free gift of salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord… the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of eternal life with him. May each of us one day “dwell in the temple of the Lord” where that incredible and deep peace will enfold us in God’s love… and we will “savor the sweetness of the Lord”. 

And in the meantime may we enjoy the “foretaste” of heaven on earth as we love God and one another with big smiles on our face knowing that the best is yet to come.