Ps.84:4 – Blessed are those who dwell in Your house!
They are ever praising You. Selah

It’s funny how much you can change through the influence of God upon your life. My whole world view was totally upended and has stayed that way since my conversion over 51 years ago. Before that time church was not on my radar. I would place the house of God at the bottom of my list as places I wanted to visit, much less make my home there. That was radically changed upon my conversion as Parris and I literally moved into the Jesus Community in California, living our lives literally at the house of God. Since that time we returned to New Orleans and started our church, Victory Church, which has been our ‘home’ for years. We don’t live on the property, even though we did for several years, but Victory is our home. This is what Spurgeon said about David and his thoughts about living at God’s House.

“Those he esteems to be highly favored who are constantly engaged in divine worship—the canons residentiary (those who work at the church), yea, the pew openers, the menials who sweep and dust. To come and go is refreshing, but to abide in the place of prayer must be heaven below. To be the guests of God, enjoying the hospitalities of heaven, set apart for holy work, screened from a noisy world, and familiar with sacred things—why this is surely the choicest heritage a son of man can possess. They will be still praising thee. So near to God, their very life must be adoration. Surely their hearts and tongues never cease from magnifying the Lord….in a spiritual sense this is most true, for those children of God who in spirit abide even in his house, are also ever full of the praises of God. Communion is the mother of adoration. They fail to praise the Lord who wander far from him, but those who dwell in him are always magnifying him. In such an occupation as this we might be content to remain for ever. It is worth while to pause and meditate upon the prospect of dwelling with God and praising him throughout eternity.”

What is it about being close to God’s house in today’s world? I know what some people say, “We are the church”. Absolutely true, but something happens when God’s people come together in His house. His glory becomes especially present and lives are changed by His wonderful touch.