How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place, Oh Lord Almighty

Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere
Than thousands elsewhere...

"Better is One Day"
Matt Redman (I think? I hope!)

I really used to hate that song.

You're probably thinking it's a bit odd that I would choose to begin a blog with it then, right?

That would be true if I still hated it. But over the past few weeks, God has done some amazing things in my life, not the least of which is revealing to me the true meaning behind some of the lyrics I've been faithfully zoning out and singing along to in worship. It's so funny the way He can make things come alive when you allow the Holy Spirit to direct you in wisdom!

Anyway, can I tell you why I hated it?

It was mostly because I didn't believe it. I would sing those words - "Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere" - and think, "But I want a thousand more days here. I was blessed with a good life and I want to live it to the fullest!" And it's true - I have a wonderful husband and a brand new, beautiful little girl. I want to be here for them and for me. I surely want to go to Heaven and live forever with my Father, but I still have some things on my to-do list here!

No doubt some of you feel the same. A lot of you probably also feel a little twinge of fear, like I used to, when you read John 12:25: "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

But I have good news for us.

When we sing "Better is One Day," are we saying we don't want those thousand days with which God has blessed us? When we praise God for the blessings of this life, the things we love here on earth, are we condemning ourselves to "losing" our lives?

No, we are not!

When we sing out from our mouths, "Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere," we are simply singing the truth! We are stating a fact. Nowhere in that song do I hear the words, "This life you gave us was wretched and we don't want it," or "Please take us now so we don't have to deal with it anymore." At least, I hope not. If you truly feel that way, I would urge you to take your life's problems to God in prayer and ask Him for a full healing.

What we are truly saying is, "Lord, we are so blessed here on earth, but we know it's going to be that much better when we're with You in Your kingdom. Thank you that it doesn't end here!"

Me? I'm just thanking God that this song is no longer a discouragement to me. In fact, it's become more than a praise for God in my heart; it has become a huge encouragement to me. Even when I do not feel blessed, and when I am suffering through trials, this song reminds me to count it all joy, because I know that in the end, God wins. I am going to be with him forever in Heaven, and there is nothing in the world that can be so bad as to outweigh the blessing of that amazing truth. Hallelujah! 

So enjoy your thousands upon thousands of days - but just remember that every joy you experience here will only be multiplied when you are face to face with Your Heavenly Father.