250 A Day in Your Courts

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Psalm 84:10 NKJV

I was listening to a testimony yesterday evening before bed and this verse struck my heart.

The questions immediately started running through my head,

“Whose court are you standing in?”

“What tent are you dwelling in?”

I have always been a black and white person.

No shades of gray for me.

Either for or against,

good or evil,

make a decision and stand by it,

win or lose.

I am a fixer –

every problem has a solution.

Sometimes not recognizing gray areas is difficult –

agonizing would probably be a better word.

However, the questions are always the same, in one way or another,

“Whose court are you standing in?”

“What tent are you dwelling in?”

Will I allow hot and cold individuals to be part of my life –

people who are friendly one day and foul the next?

NO

Will I allow myself to be treated like a worthless individual?

NO

Will I stand up for those I love?

ALWAYS

“Whose court are you standing in?”

“What tent are you dwelling in?”

Peace is often at risk when one is dealing with

individuals and situations

like the ones above.

My road to peace

wound through many shades of gray.

It was agonizing and rocky.

The hills were high

and valleys were deep.

I have faced the vast abyss of grief.

As for me –

through God’s grace,

though wounded,

I came through a stronger person.

Through that process, I learned to

protect my peace

at any cost.

And now ask myself:

“Whose court are you standing in?”

“What tent are you dwelling in?”

My grandparents had a picture hanging on the wall in their front bedroom. If I close my eyes I can still see it on the wall leading into the living room – across from the bed.

It was mesmerizing.

I sat and stared at it a lot when I visited,

especially when I was supposed to be helping with the cleaning.

But one day I asked Grandma why Jesus was knocking

and she told me, “Because he wants you to invite him into your heart.”

Then she quoted this verse:

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 

Revelation 3:20 NKJV

and this one:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 KJV

and left it at that.

Probably because she knew how stubborn I was

or that I always need time to think…

But later that week at church I raised my hand at the invitation.

I didn’t want Jesus to knock and me not answer.

I can still see my hand raised in the air with the little bracelet on my arm that my grandma gave me when the minister said, “Is there anyone here who is a sinner and wants to invite Jesus into their heart?” (or something like that).

That moment was my first taste of peace.

Then life got in the way…

I fell away

and came back

repeatedly.

Now,

when Jesus knocks –

I choose to answer

and abide in His peace

to keep the discord of the world

far away from my soul.

Just as I would rather

stand in God’s courtyard for one day,

than to dwell in the tents of the wicked

forever.

XO Lisa ❤️