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Reverend Paul Collings BTh (Hons) - - - - paul.collings@methodist.org.uk - - - - 01392 206229 - - - - 07941 880768

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Thursday, 8 September 2022

Doors and Gateways

Mdina City Gate, Malta by Paul Collings

Psalm 84:10

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.


Where is your favourite place, the place where you feel complete and fully what God intended for you. Here the psalmist seems to be content to stand at the entrance to the house of the Lord. Threshold, it’s an interesting word, linked to the notion the threshing place at the entrance of the home. Elsewhere, other translations speak of door-keeping. 


Among the jobs of the Levites in Old Testament times, being keepers of the thresholds of the tent was one of the lowliest because you were not inside but outside of the holy temple. The closer you were to the Holy of Holies, the more important your job seemed to be.


In this psalm the contrast was between being outside at the edge of God's house and being inside the house of the wicked. King David the psalmist seemed to be talking about the lowly job of guarding at the entrance of God's house than enjoying the comfort of inside the house of the wicked.


We are back with the Christian Characteristic of Humility.


Here are three helpful quotes for today.


St Augustine - “If you plan to build a tall house of virtues, you must first lay deep foundations of humility.”


Francis de Sales - “Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.”


Dwight L. Mood - “A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility.”


Prayer

Thank you Father that You want me to be Your doorkeeper. Thank you for giving me access to Your Holy Presence 24/7. Give me Your grace and courage to carry Your presence to the world around me. Put people on my path daily that need to know more of Your presence and give me Your words and discernment as I minister Your presence to them. Amen.


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