“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed, it faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.” (Psalm 84:1-2, NRSVue)
This week, as we continue our sermon series, “Summer Playlist,” I’m using Miranda Lambert’s song, “The House That Built Me,” as a theme song for the message. I’m also using Psalm 84, which describes the beauty of the temple where many people believed God lived. In this psalm, the psalmist expresses his longing to be in God’s presence among the altar and even the rafters of the magnificent structure where “the sparrow and the swallow” are content to rest peacefully.
I believe that God is always everywhere, so I don’t limit God’s dwelling to the confines of the temple. God in Jesus Christ is especially at home in our hearts. Still, I have experienced God’s presence in special ways in various locations—in the sanctuary of the small United Methodist church where I attended as a young person, in the mountains, along the Camino de Santiago, in cathedrals throughout the world, and sometimes, even in my car. One of my favorite places to find God is in the simple yet elegant space of the sanctuary here at First UMC of Florence. I can’t count the number of times that we have been together in worship when God’s goodness and love have overwhelmed me as someone read God’s Word aloud, or our choir sang a song that touched my heart, or one of the liturgists prayed a prayer that was the precise words I needed to hear, or our children shared their witness to God’s love that they are just on the front end of learning about more and more each day. God is always near if we have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, or the heart to discern.
In my experience, the places we find ourselves shape us. If we experience God in those spaces, they take on even more significance, and God’s powerful presence transforms our lives into something beautiful. That’s the essence of “The House That Built Me,” as Lambert sings of the influences that shaped her and made her into the person she is.
I am grateful for the openness of those who join us weekly to discover where God is at work in our midst and to respond to God’s call to serve all of his children without checking to see if they’re worthy. All we know how to do is love one another as Christ has loved us. And that’s what makes the beautiful space we worship in even more beautiful—because we begin to see each other as God sees us—and it’s a sight to behold.
Join us this Sunday to learn more about God as we explore “The House That Built Me.” Don’t forget to invite your friends. We want them to experience the joy of this place along with us!
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