Trivia:
See if you can guess this bit of trivia. I guessed wrong on this one. Denim is the official fabric for which state? Utah; Wyoming; Texas; California. Make your guess.
Challenge:
Psalm 87:1- 3 "On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord. 2 He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. 3 O city of God, what glorious things are said of you!"
To begin this meditation it would make more clear its message if we gain an better understanding of just who God has used to tranfer these words to us. The sons of Korah are descendants of Levi through Kohath and their responsibility was the to be gatekeepers, muscians, and protectors of the temple. For further reading regarding the level of their care for God's city and temple you can read more detail in 1 Chronicles 6:22; 9:17-32; 26:1.
In whole these were the guards, and people who were the last level of defense for Jerusalem & most importantly the temple surroundings. It was these muscians who were lifting up praise and honor to God through the production of background music and choral arrangements singing the Psalms to those entering the temple's inner sanctuary.
Verse 1 clarifies for us just what made this mountain holy, it was because it gave honor and protection to the one place where the Old Testament saints were enabled to come into the very presence of God. Where in Psalm 61:4 states just how vital this place was to the Hebrew people. "Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings." and Psalm 63:1,2 "O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. ... I have seen you in the sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory."
Then in verse 2 makes it clear to us just how blest we are to embody this very place and person of the Godhead, His Holy Spirit live in us. We have the ability to worship Our Everlasting God within our being through all that we do each day, to bring into the presence of our world just a minor expression of what Our Savior desires to pass onto our earthly place of existence. In the same way that the city of Jerusalem (Zion) is held in high regard to God for a place of special spiritual importance, we due to the Spirit living in us are uniquely significant to God.
Verse 3 reminds us of the special significance that we each individually hold, "We have become God's place of inhabitance." We have become His representation to this needy world, of what they most of all need to realize their potential opportunity to know, walk, be protected, cared for, loved, and worthy to bring praise to our Creator, Savior, and King.
SO GO WITH GOD should not just be a saying that we speak of, but it should become the very role that we uphold to our world. For they (the world all around us) desperately need to come to the understanding of just who they can become in Christ Jesus. They also can embody the very presence of God to their world. The song "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" make clear just how blessed we are to display God's presence to our world.
Texas