Daily Devotion

July 3, 2006

Psalms 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

God’s favorite test with us seems to be the one of loyalty. At one time or another in our lives, the Spirit takes us to a place of decision. It is a decision that reflects the epitome of our strength or of our weakness; a decision between serving personal interest and serving God; settling for the good versus striving for the best; temporal instant gratification versus eternal future happiness. It is a decision that involves personal sacrifice.

When the Lord brings people to that place, He lays out a path that will lead to a Promised Land. This prospect pushes them to desire to climb the Hills of Difficulty, to cross the Desert of Hardship, and to conquer the evil beasts of Impossibility and Failure. But at the last minute, they cower at the sight of these Giants on the Road of Service. They choose rather the Path of Ease by the River of Go-With-the-Flow. They leave their dream and settle for the easily reached.

When Caleb arrived in Canaan, he and Joshua were the oldest men among the Children of Israel, the only ones left from the generation that left Egypt. He was eighty five years old when he said, “…behold, … I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims (giants) were there, … if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. (Josh 14:10-12). The narration of the story tells us that, “Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb… because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. (Josh 14:14). This mountain was the mountain range of Judea where king David was to reign from for 40 years, where the Temple was built, where Jesus was crucified, and where He will return (Zec 14:4).

Beloved, it is a hard climb to the Temple of the Lord on top of the mountains. It is a steep road to the place of usefulness where you will be part of His everlasting plan. It may have required for you to leave everything behind. Like Jacob, you may arrive crippled by the fight (Gen 32:25), but oh what a sight, what a glory when you arrive! One day in the place of the Lord on the mountain of His Temple cannot compare with a whole life of ease the valley has to offer.

Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/