The Lord is There

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 48

The name of the city from that time on shall be, "The Lord Is There." (Ezekiel 48.35)

Devotional Thought: Recently, a friend of mine joined with a group of eight or ten other men to form a duck hunting club.  They purchased some land in "The Ace Basin."  Having a good name for their club and land was important to them, so they gave it a lot of thought.  They even sought input from others.  I think they finally decided on "Solkii Foswa," from an indigenous dialect.  It means "Many Birds."  I like it.  I hope it is prophetic!

Place names were significant to the writers of the Bible, too.  When God finished showing Ezekiel a vision of the sacred land, including the temple and the city, he told Ezekiel what its name was to be: "The Lord Is There."  What a great name for a city!  That's the place I want to live - where God is.  And we can, for God has promised that he would live with us and walk among us.  Wherever we go, if we are walking with the Lord, we can say, "The Lord Is There!"

When my wife Lana and I moved to Concord, NC, we looked around the nearby countryside for a home to buy.  We found one place we really liked, but it was in a neighborhood called Sleepy Hollow on a street named ... You guessed it ... Ichabod Circle!  Ichabod is an Old Testament word which means "The Glory Has Departed" and by extension, that God himself has departed.  Place names weren't that important to us, but we decided we didn't want to live on Ichabod Circle.  We didn't want to go home to a place from which God departed.

Child of God, let the presence of the Lord fill your day with hope and your home with love.  He is there with you!

Prayer: Lord, I know that in this world I will have troubles, but I also am thankful that amid my troubles you are there!  I'm so glad that I live in a place called, "The Lord Is There."  Amen

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 61.1-8

1 Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer;

2 from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,

3 for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

4 Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah

5 For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6 Prolong the life of the king; may his years endure to all generations!

7 May he be enthroned forever before God; appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!

8 So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.