Psalm 27:4 (NIV)
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
Francis Chan wrote in his book “Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God” the following:
What if I said, “Stop praying”? What if I told you to stop talking at God for a while, but instead to take a long, hard look at Him before you speak another word? Solomon warned us not to rush into God’s presence with words. That’s what fools do. And often, that’s what we do.
We are a culture that relies on technology over community, a society in which spoken and written words are cheap, easy to come by, and excessive. Our culture says anything goes; fear of God is almost unheard of. We are slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry.
I am arrested at this thought tonight. I am guilty of this very thing… just running right into his presence and throwing up my prayers and running out, like a 3 year old comes in and makes his bold announcement to his parents in the midst of their dinner party and then makes his exit just as promptly.
I just need to spend some time gazing on His beauty.