Today’s reading is Psalm 42.
This son of Korah has apparently been carted off away from the temple of the Lord. He isn’t able to perform his Levitical duties. He can’t serve as a gatekeeper or serve in song in the worship of the Israelites. He feels cut off from God because he can’t get to the temple. I read how disheartened and despairing he is. It’s moments like this I’m thankful for the New Covenant in Jesus Christ.
In John 4:21, Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father…the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” I recognize, of course, Jews could turn toward the temple from any location and pray to God. I have no doubt they recognized a sense in which God was with them everywhere they went. However, when worship was so temple centered, it left the feeling that when one couldn’t get to the temple, one couldn’t get to God.
I’m thankful for our New Covenant. I’m thankful for Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice ripped the veil before the Most Holy Place. I’m thankful that I live in a covenant in which by Jesus I am able to stand in the Most Holy Place before God wherever I am. Its why Paul and Silas could be beaten and lying in a prison, but still sing praise and pray to God.
We are never separated from God. He is always with us. We can pray to Him from anywhere. We can worship Him in any location. We don’t have to despair because we can’t get to a temple. We are the temple. God is with us, in us.
Praise the Lord for the New Covenant in Jesus Christ.
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 42.
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Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family
- What are your initial reactions to the psalm and the written devo above?
- No doubt, part of the psalmist’s feeling disconnected from God had to do with being disconnected from the people he used to worship with. See vs. 4. If you weren’t able to worship with the church this Sunday, would you feel like this psalmist? Why or why not?
- Why is worship so amazing and something to look forward to? Why is it something to miss when we don’t get to do it?
- What are some other reasons you are thankful for Jesus and His New Covenant?
- What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this psalm and our discussion today?
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