1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:12,990 Speaker 1: Life Audio Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, 2 00:00:13,930 --> 00:00:18,620 Speaker 1: a calming, scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end 3 00:00:18,739 --> 00:00:21,739 Speaker 1: each day with God's Word in your mind and on 4 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsors, 5 00:00:27,500 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: we will reflect on tonight's scripture, Psalm Our evening reflection 6 00:00:42,020 --> 00:00:50,150 Speaker 1: is written and read by Kyle Norman. Psalm 84 How 7 00:00:50,250 --> 00:00:54,630 Speaker 1: lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My 8 00:00:54,750 --> 00:00:58,490 Speaker 1: soul longs, indeed it faints, for the courts of the Lord. 9 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:01,300 Speaker 1: My heart and my flesh long for you. sing for 10 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, 11 00:01:06,060 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may 12 00:01:08,980 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 1: lay her young at your altars, O Lord of hosts, 13 00:01:12,660 --> 00:01:17,420 Speaker 1: my King and my God. Happy are those who live 14 00:01:17,470 --> 00:01:22,809 Speaker 1: in your house, ever seeking your praise. Happy are those 15 00:01:23,110 --> 00:01:25,929 Speaker 1: whose strength is in you, and whose heart are the 16 00:01:25,990 --> 00:01:30,010 Speaker 1: highways to Zion, As they go through the valleys of Baca, 17 00:01:30,069 --> 00:01:33,530 Speaker 1: they make a place of spring. The early rains also 18 00:01:33,610 --> 00:01:38,110 Speaker 1: covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength. 19 00:01:39,010 --> 00:01:42,169 Speaker 1: The God of gods will be seen in Zion. O Lord, 20 00:01:42,550 --> 00:01:46,810 Speaker 1: God of hosts, hear my prayer. Give ear, O God 21 00:01:46,890 --> 00:01:52,270 Speaker 1: of Jacob. Behold our shield, O God. Look on the 22 00:01:52,330 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: face of your anointed. For a day in your courts 23 00:01:56,420 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: is better than a thousand elsewhere. And I would rather 24 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,270 Speaker 1: be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than 25 00:02:03,330 --> 00:02:06,950 Speaker 1: live in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God 26 00:02:07,030 --> 00:02:10,870 Speaker 1: is a sun and a shield. He bestows favor and honor. 27 00:02:11,810 --> 00:02:14,929 Speaker 1: No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who 28 00:02:14,970 --> 00:02:20,250 Speaker 1: walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who 29 00:02:20,330 --> 00:02:28,460 Speaker 1: trusts in you. Have you ever found yourself praying for 30 00:02:28,510 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: more hours in the day? Despite the increased efficiency of 31 00:02:33,100 --> 00:02:37,679 Speaker 1: technological advances, it seems like we are busier now than 32 00:02:37,740 --> 00:02:40,820 Speaker 1: we have ever been. We run from place to place, 33 00:02:40,930 --> 00:02:45,450 Speaker 1: from task to task. If something doesn't occupy our time 34 00:02:45,550 --> 00:02:49,549 Speaker 1: in this moment, we tend to preoccupy our time with 35 00:02:49,610 --> 00:02:53,490 Speaker 1: worries and fears about the future. We live with such 36 00:02:53,530 --> 00:02:57,100 Speaker 1: a spirit of frenzy and demand. that we rarely find 37 00:02:57,180 --> 00:03:02,620 Speaker 1: time to be at peace. Psalm 84 speaks about the 38 00:03:02,660 --> 00:03:07,330 Speaker 1: blessings found in simply being in God's house. The psalmist 39 00:03:07,370 --> 00:03:10,210 Speaker 1: says that one day in the courts of God is 40 00:03:10,250 --> 00:03:13,590 Speaker 1: better than a thousand running about elsewhere, and that it 41 00:03:13,669 --> 00:03:16,950 Speaker 1: is better to be a doorkeeper at the front door 42 00:03:17,010 --> 00:03:19,889 Speaker 1: of the church than to live in tents cut off 43 00:03:19,910 --> 00:03:24,470 Speaker 1: from God's presence. The reason the psalmist makes this claim 44 00:03:24,490 --> 00:03:27,070 Speaker 1: is is not because of what they do at the temple, 45 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,780 Speaker 1: but rather who they receive. See, standing in the temple, 46 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: the dwelling place of the Lord, there are no demands 47 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: or tasks. There are no assignments to complete or grades 48 00:03:41,780 --> 00:03:45,420 Speaker 1: to strive for. There are no projects to toil under. 49 00:03:46,060 --> 00:03:50,150 Speaker 1: Standing in the dwelling place of the Lord demands one thing. 50 00:03:51,310 --> 00:03:54,770 Speaker 1: to receive the love of the God who draws us close. 51 00:03:56,310 --> 00:04:01,220 Speaker 1: Is there anything more peaceful, more restorative, more loving than that? 52 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: As you enter your rest this night, reflect on your 53 00:04:07,020 --> 00:04:11,660 Speaker 1: longing for God's presence. Put aside any obligations of the 54 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:16,850 Speaker 1: day or worries for tomorrow and simply communicate your longing 55 00:04:16,890 --> 00:04:21,890 Speaker 1: for God. Because your longing for God is matched by 56 00:04:21,970 --> 00:04:29,950 Speaker 1: God's longing for you. Precious Lord, I call to you. 57 00:04:30,570 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: O God, come to me quickly. My life can be 58 00:04:34,180 --> 00:04:38,559 Speaker 1: so busy with a multitude of things. I run to 59 00:04:38,660 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: and fro, this way and that, trying to manage my 60 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:45,169 Speaker 1: life as best I can. But deep within me I 61 00:04:45,230 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: know that abundant life is is never found in the 62 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,789 Speaker 1: things that I can create or the things that I do. Life, 63 00:04:53,470 --> 00:04:57,930 Speaker 1: true life, is found in your presence. I long for 64 00:04:57,970 --> 00:05:00,890 Speaker 1: that life of grace and truth that comes from your 65 00:05:00,930 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: presence in my life. Father, I lay myself before you, 66 00:05:06,300 --> 00:05:09,260 Speaker 1: and I listen to your word that tells me that 67 00:05:09,300 --> 00:05:14,539 Speaker 1: your desire for me to be in your dwelling place 68 00:05:14,779 --> 00:05:18,089 Speaker 1: is ultimate. So come to me, O Lord my God. 69 00:05:18,529 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 1: Captivate me by your love. Restore me in your healing hands. 70 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,380 Speaker 1: Empower me with your spirit. May this night be a 71 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:30,660 Speaker 1: time where your heart speaks to mine. And may tomorrow 72 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,099 Speaker 1: be a day where despite the tasks and demands of life, 73 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: I live with a holy longing. I pray all of 74 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:43,670 Speaker 1: this in the name of God with us, Jesus my Lord. Amen. 75 00:05:45,670 --> 00:05:49,170 Speaker 1: How did tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts 76 00:05:49,350 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: in the Your Nightly Scripture forum discussion. Thank you for 77 00:06:01,380 --> 00:06:06,130 Speaker 1: listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture was read from 78 00:06:06,170 --> 00:06:13,570 Speaker 1: the New International Version by Biblica. All rights reserved. Be 79 00:06:13,630 --> 00:06:17,250 Speaker 1: sure to follow our sister show your daily Bible verse 80 00:06:17,490 --> 00:06:22,650 Speaker 1: on Apple or Spotify. By following your daily Bible verse 81 00:06:23,250 --> 00:06:26,740 Speaker 1: and your nightly scripture, you can be sure that your 82 00:06:26,810 --> 00:06:30,900 Speaker 1: day begins and ends centered on the Word of God. 83 00:06:42,930 --> 00:06:44,510 Speaker 1: Thank you.