Longing To Dwell With Him

Blessed Lord, my soul rises to You in a flame.
You have said you are coming quickly, and I reply, ‘Amen, even so, come, Lord Jesus!’ Come! I long to be done with the burdens and sorrows of this life. Come! I long to ascend to Your presence, and see You in your courts above.

Death is transformed when I see it in this light. I no longer fear the king of terrors when the King of Glory and Grace is so near. I hear with pleasure the sound of Your feet approaching, nearer and nearer. Draw aside the veil whenever You please. Open the bars of my prison, so my eager soul may spring forth to You and I may throw myself at Your feet - at the feet of Jesus.

Though I have not yet seen Him, I love Him, and I am filled with inexpressible and glorious joy. Lord, You will show me the path of life, and You will guide me to the place where there is fullness of joy. You will give me a place with Your faithful servants, whose spirits live with You now while their bodies sleep in the dust…

Blessed Redeemer, I look forward to that nobler and more glorious hope, and when I am there I will look forward even more to the Day of Your final appearance. There I will long even more to see You vindicated, Your triumph displayed, and the dust of Your servants brought back to life. There I will see the final enemy, death itself, swallowed up in victory. I will long for that greater honor You have reserved for me, and the complete happiness waiting for all Your people.

All the millions of Your saints, saved by Your grace, will say, ‘Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!’ Their words will mingle with the songs of paradise. In the meantime, Master, accept the worship and praise my grateful heart offers You now. You have inspired me with glorious hope. You have given me joy, and raised my soul to this place. Otherwise I might have been groveling in the lowest trifles of the here and now, looking with horror to the hour that now excites me so.

Be with me always, even to the end of this mortal life. And while I await Your salvation, help me follow Your ways. Strengthen me and keep my light shining for You. Keep my ears tuned to the wonderful signal of Your arrival, so my glowing soul springs to meet You with pleasure. Strengthen and prepare me in death for those visions of glory which this feeble body could never endure. Amen.

-Philip Doddridge

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How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in Your house, ever singing Your praise! Blessed are those whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of Your anointed! For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in You!

— Psalm 84 (ESV)

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O, beloved.

I’m well, truly.

My heart is full. I can see beauty in the world today. I’m finding consolation and joy in His Word. I’m pouring myself out to Him in prayer as best I know how.

But even still…I’m longing to be with Him, fully.

I know, beloved (gentle)…‘Only today,’ I can hear you whispering to me.

He will provide.

Though I am weary, He is not now and never shall be. Though I am confused, He knows all things. Though I think surely it must be time for Him to come and set everything right already…He requires waiting. And more and more and more waiting.

And so, we wait. Patiently, gladly, aye?

We wait for Him to come and take us to dwell with Him. For Him to gift us our true Home, our true Rest, our true Love. How I long for such a thing, such a place…with you.

Soon.

Surely, soon?!

We trust, Together, even when we can see so little, experience so little, understand so little.

For our God, He is a good God.

He delights to give good gifts to His children, yes?

Yes. It must be so.