The House of the Lord

Psa;m 122:1-4.

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:

Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the LORD.

Many of the pictures I found this morning, like this one, are evocative of the pioneer days. A single church building stood on the vast prairies, and on Sundays it filled up with families dressed in their Sunday best. They came on horseback, in buggies and wagons; sometimes they walked. For many, it was a journey taken only when weather and time permitted. They often had “dinner on the grounds” after the service, and then spent the rest of the day catching up with each other. Life was hard, and they were hard-working people who took joy in the Sunday break from the endless work. Of course, they had animals to tend, so they were usually beginning the long trek home before darkness fell.

The main thing is, they loved Sunday when they could make it to church. They worshiped together, caught up with each other’s lives, and enjoyed the respite from toil that Sundays offered.

I love church, too. The church we attend is about a 40-minute drive, so we have time to just talk–or not. When we arrive, there are always welcoming hugs and handshakes, inquiries into our well-being (We’re old, you know, so people are concerned that we are well). It’s a time to catch up with good friends that we see only once each week. We have a fine young pastor who is involved and interested in our lives, always available to help if he can. His sermons always give me something to consider, to research, to apply to my own life. We are blessed to have him.

The Israelites, in David’s day, didn’t have just the one place of worship. There were gatherings in every small town, but Jerusalem was the center for the celebration of the special feast days. Those celebrations were times of both joy and deep introspection. They were the scene of family reunions. There was teaching from the scrolls that were treasured and stored in the synagogues. There was prayer, and there were offerings appropriate to the occasions.

The Israelites were glad for the opportunity to go into the House of the Lord. So we should be, also.