Till... each appears before God in Zion

Psalm 84:4-7

Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;

They are ever praising You. Selah

Blessed are those whose strength is in You,

Whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baka,

They make it a place of springs;

The autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength;

Till each appears before God in Zion. (NIV)

Nothing gets us up on our feet and living our lives with focus, better than knowing "WHY-are-we-doing-what-we-are-doing?" and "WHERE-are-we-going?".

Knowing the answers to these questions deep within us sharpens us, aligns us and strengthens us to "what" we are going to do and "how" we will do it. Are we going to just-meet-the-requirements or live our lives with excellence and even beyond the requirements? ... and all out of voluntary love...

It sharpens us because we will be intentional in our efforts in our pursuit of God, with more intensity. David was intentional in his pursuit of God - he sought to go hard after God all the days of his life. His life is marked out by his intentional inquiring of the Lord in all the matters of his courts. He sought out the way of the Lord above the ways of man. Apostle Paul says in Phil 3:12-14, the one thing he does - forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. He is focused on what is ahead and presses in - good days, bad days, mundane days... toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. What discipline! Such passion and doggedness!

It aligns us because we will prioritize our lives accordingly. We will not be caught up with petty issues and will keep on track in running this race. We will rearrange our lives and CHOOSE what is important and what is not. Christian living is measured not over one or two good days or years, but the posture of our hearts, over decades, that keeps saying yes and choosing the good part. Like how Mary of Bethany chose the good part, and put seeking God as the priority all the days in her life.

It strengthens us because God satisfies. Living for God satisfies and gives us joy deep within as we feel the pleasures of God. As we burn for God, doing God-things, staying focused and aligned to Him, it gives us strength. A life lived out of conviction and passion for Jesus is one that is vibrant and never dull. We may get tired physically but inwardly we are renewed day by day.

The Psalmists in Psa. 84 set their heart on pilgrimage - a journey of knowing and loving God, overcoming all odds, until they see God face to face. They overcome it all because they have decided and set their hearts on God and count all things as rubbish for the sake of knowing Him, for the sake of living to see God face to face in Zion. To us, this means a life whose goal is to see Jesus in His second coming, that will transit us from this (earthly) age to the age-to-come (Millenial Kingdom) where He will make all things new and dwell with us, forever...

May we take time to ask ourselves... why are we doing what we are doing... and where are we going? God is inviting us to draw nearer to Him and run further. May we say yes... An invitation, an occupation and our love obsession! of going hard after Him all the days of our lives!

Weak, sincere as we may be... a people whose traits are not what we can do or say, but whose strength is in God, whose only boast is that we know Him intimately... Let's ask for grace for this new season... More of you! Less of me...