“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” – Psalm 23:6
I have lost count of the number of times that I have read the 23rd Psalm at a graveside service. I have had the privilege of presiding at the funerals of many wonderful saints, who now rest from their labors with our Lord. We often read from the 23rd Psalm because it offers so many wonderful phrases of comfort, it presents beautiful symbols of peace, rest, and the care of a God who is bigger than the valley of the shadow of death. If you have not read the 23rd Psalm in a while, stop for a minute and take out your Bible. It is a beautiful statement of God’s love for God’s people.
At the end of the 23rd Psalm, the psalmist reminds us of the hope we have as God’s people. We are told that we, “Shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” What a joy to know that we will always have shelter from the harsh elements of this world. But have you ever asked what takes place in the house of the Lord? One element that is made clear in the scriptures is that the house of God will be, “A house of prayer for all the peoples.” (Isaiah 56:7) This phrase is repeated several times in the scriptures and even quoted by Jesus after he clears the temple. Prayer is a core practice in the house of God.
The people of God are blessed with the gift of prayer. It is an opportunity to converse with God. It is an intimate dialogue with the one who leads us to green pastures, still waters, and through the valley of the shadow of death. Because the shepherd is always close to us, we should be a people who take full advantage of the gift of prayer. It is an opportunity to connect our lives with the shepherd.
I want to encourage you to pray today. Take your worries, problems, fears and joys to the shepherd. It is in prayer that your life is met by goodness and mercy. Take others to God in prayer. When we pray for our neighbors, we help extend the security and blessing of God’s house to those who journey in life and need help finding calm waters and a home that endures forever. Prayer is a gift. Prayer is the work that happens in the house of Lord. Let us all have a homecoming today and pray.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
