relationships (Psalm 87:1-7) Finding Joy

(Psalm 87:1-7)   His foundation is in the holy mountains.

2   The Lord loves the gates of Zion 
     More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob.
3   Glorious things are spoken of you,
     City of God. Selah 
4   “I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me;
     Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Cush:
     ‘This one was born there.’”
5   But of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her”;
     And the Most High Himself will establish her.
6   The Lord will count when He registers the peoples,
     “This one was born there.” Selah 
7   Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes will say,
     “All my springs of joy are in you.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

In the Millennium, Jesus will establish Israel and its capital city, Jerusalem (Zion).  The Israelites will be established in the Lord, and they will be fruitful and blessed with all their covenants fulfilled, because they as a nation will have accepted Jesus as their King and Messiah at the end of the Tribulation.  

As for right now, Zion could be likened to God's Church, which includes all churches that worship Him only, believe that Jesus is God, believe that salvation is only through Jesus and His work on the cross, and believe that the Bible is God's infallible word.  When churches are following Jesus like this, with humble, thankful hearts, of course it would be God's favorite place to be.

God's favorite place to be is also not just about logistics, as our bodies are considered a temple of God when one becomes a believer, because we receive the Lord's indwelling Holy Spirit of promise.  So, it is about the condition of one's heart and being born again into God's family.  Like that saying goes, "Home is where the heart is."  When we become children of God, our heavenly Father knows us and promises us that we will go to heaven, His home, for all eternity.

Until that day, because we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, He establishes His firm foundation in us on a personal level.  We may be aliens living on this earth, but the Lord is always with us and working in and on our hearts so that we may experience joy in the Lord!  Asking the Lord to give us His joy - brings Him joy!!!  Even when we are gong through struggles, and things aren't "happy", the Lord wants to fill us with His comfort and joy, which is only found in a close, personal relationship with Him.