Happiness in the House of God

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
— Psalm 122:1

Have you felt the same emotion that the psalmist expresses here: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’? In Psalm 84:10 we find a statement that aligns with this joy: “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. . . .” Today, wherever believers can gather for worship, that place can be called the house of the Lord. There we meet as brothers and sisters in Christ who gather to worship the one true God.
Around the world there are many different church buildings designed to be places where believers can gather to worship God. The King of the universe is not limited to a particular space or building. But a specially designed space can help us contemplate the Lord “in the splendor of his holiness” (Psalm 96:9). In the house of God—that is, in a place of worship—we can gain a clearer understanding of the transience of life and the need for God’s grace and forgiveness. And in the presence of God we are filled with joy to sustain us in the many challenges of our lives.
As the psalmist says, “Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you” (Psalm 84:4).

O God, my sin and self-pity try to keep me away from you. But draw me into your presence, meeting with others to worship you so that we may be renewed with joy to live for you each day. In the name of Jesus, Amen.