If you had one wish, what would you wish for? I’m guessing that at some point in everyone’s life that question has been asked in one manner or another. The most trite of answers sounds something like, “If I had just one wish, I’d wish for endless wishes” . . . ha, ha, ha. But the most thoughtful answers have a way of revealing something of what makes a person tick . . . gives some insights as to their priorities . . . reveals something of their greatest desires. This morning I’m grabbed afresh by the one thing David would ask for . . .

One thing have I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to inquire in His temple. (Psalm 27:4 ESV)

For David it was less about what he could have . . . and all about where he wanted to be . . . to dwell in the house of the LORD. His desire was to pitch his tent where the glory of God dwelt . . . His passion was to remain in the place where God’s presence would be found . . . His “home run” in life would be to abide in the place where God abides. It was top on his prayer list . . . it was top on his priority list.

It was the one thing that he consistently sought after . . . his persistent request . . . his over-arching desire.

To abide in the house of the LORD . . . to know nearness to the holy of holies . . . to draw close to the prevailing glory of God, was to gaze upon His beauty. It was the place where the eye of faith could behold of the God of heaven. A place to inquire, or literally, to plough, something of the depths of God’s high and holy character. To be where God was, invited the opportunity to find delight in His Name . . . to be overwhelmed with a fresh sense of awe concerning His majesty . . . to appreciate afresh the depths of His steadfast love.

It was David’s “one thing”. That it might be mine, as well.

What privilege belongs to the believer to not just DWELL in the house, but to BE the house. Individually, as the Spirit of God has taken up residence in all those who, by faith, have received the gift of eternal life available through the blood of Christ and the power of His resurrection. Corporately, as believers come together as living stones, joined together to grow into a holy temple in the Lord . . . a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (Eph. 2:2-22). Literally, all the days of our lives, and for time in eternity, we have the privilege of abiding in the presence of God’s holiness and glory. And in that “place” we have the opportunity to gaze upon His beauty . . . to plough the depths of His magnificent being . . . to grow in depth of understanding of His amazing grace and His wondrous love . . . and to “offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD” (27:6).

It’s not just some fairytale wish . . . it’s the believer’s reality. O’, that by the grace of God, I would know more of that reality . . . that the beauty of His face would be seen . . . that depths of His Name would be known . . . for my joy . . . and for His glory. Amen?