My Great Desire

"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple" (Psalm 27:4)

Here we have man's response to God's desire to dwell in us. When the desire of God toward us begins to rule the life and heart, our desire is fixed on one thing and that is to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, to worship Him in the beauty of holiness. And then to inquire in His temple and to learn what it means that God has said: "I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it. And I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them.

The more we realize the desire of God's love to give His rest in the heart and the more our desire is thus quickened to dwell every day in His temple and behold His beauty, the more the Spirit of intercession will grow upon us to claim all that in His New Covenant God has promised. Whether we think of our Church and country of our home and school, of our nearer or wider circle; whether we think of the saved and all their needs or the unsaved and their danger, the thought that God is indeed longing to find His home and His rest in the hearts of men, if He is only "inquired of," will rouse our whole being to strive for Zion's sake not to hold our peace. All the thoughts of our feebleness and unworthiness will be swallowed up in the wonderful assurance that He has said of human hearts: "This is my rest forever; here will I dwell; for I have desired it."

As our faith sees how high our calling is, how indispensable God has made fervent, intense, persistent prayer as the condition of His purpose being fulfilled we shall be drawn to give up our life to a closer walk with God; to an unceasing waiting upon Him, and to a testimony to our brethren of what God will do in them and in us.

Is it not wonderful beyond all thought, this Divine partnership in which God commits the fulfillment of His desires to our keeping? Shame upon us that we have so little realized it!

Our Father in heaven, we beseech Thee, give, give in power, the Spirit of grace and supplication to Thy people - for Jesus' sake. Amen.

~Andrew Murray~