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Dwell with God

 

When I was in junior high the Orlando Magic signed Spud Webb. At 5 feet 6 inches, Webb is one of the shortest players in NBA history, and the fact that he was successful made him a sensation. To introduce him to the community, Webb held an autograph signing at a local shoe store, so I joined a group of my friends to go meet the little legend. 

 

There were signs posted everywhere that told us there was a one autograph per person limit. I came with a basketball card from Webb’s days with the Sacramento Kings, and they were giving away 5x7 card stock pictures of Webb in his Magic uniform. I wanted to get both signed, so I decided to try. 

 

When it was my turn to approach the table I put my card down and he signed it without looking up. I casually slid the other card his way, and without skipping a beat he flipped it back to me and reached for the next person’s card. The security guard told me to keep moving, and reminded me of the one autograph maximum. 

 

Spud Webb and I are not friends. I was one of hundreds that got to get close to him that day, but the truth is he doesn’t know me from anyone. I didn’t get any special treatment. If his nephew or cousin was in that line, he might have gotten a second autograph. Or maybe some small talk. At least some eye contact. 

 

As Christians we get to do more than just enter the presence of God: we get to stay there. In Psalm 15 David asked this two-pronged question: “O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?

Who shall dwell on your holy hill (v.1)?” The tent was the tabernacle. Jews could go to the tabernacle to be close to the presence of God. But David wanted to stay in the presence of God. 

 

He answered his own question in six couplets, or pairs of answers. His point is that people needed to live the right way to enter God’s presence (being “blameless,” for example). There was a whole system of purification involved. But today we can be in the presence of God because His Son makes us blameless. When we are saved we become righteous in God’s eyes. 

 

And since we also become filled with His Holy Spirit, we don’t just get near God for a moment, but we dwell with God forever. Are you able to sojourn in the Lord’s tent and dwell on His holy hill?

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