Thoughts for the Day

O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?

Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
and speak the truth from their heart;
who do not slander with their tongue,
and do no evil to their friends,
nor take up a reproach against their neighbours;
in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
but who honour those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
who do not lend money at interest,
and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

(The Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

In the summer of 2019 a friend and I took my old coach-built motor-home to Scotland for a holiday. The van was noisy, but could still do 50-60 mph in fifth gear. We drove up and down mountains, and ended up on the night of a named storm on the beach opposite the isle of Skye. The van rocked in the wind, but we survived the night. The next morning not one tent or caravan awning existed on the site - all had been destroyed and people were just putting their broken parts into the big rubbish bins before leaving for home. Our old motor-home had come through the night unscathed.

I was reminded of this when reading the beginning of Psalm 15 again with its words "O Lord who may abide in your tent?" The Israelites worshipped God for 40 years in the desert in a tent - subject to sand storms and all that the weather could throw at them. Later they were to build more permanent places like the sanctuary at Shiloh, and still later the temple on the highest point of Jerusalem. But even so, all these would be subject to destruction by enemy forces and decay.

Psalm is written as a question with an answer. The seeker asks the priest for the conditions to enter the holy place. Normally this would be a list of ritual requirements before they could enter to worship God (Exodus 19.9-15). Here the answer is surprising, for God does not require ritual, instead he asks us to search our conscience. We are to "walk blamelessly and do what is right". Then we shall be welcome into God's presence, whether that is a tent, a church, our own home, or in the open air. What we need is to turn to God in humble confession, asking His forgiveness, and He will come near to us.

Almighty God,
You call us to live honestly before You,
loo withking to do the right thing at all times.
May we seek the fellowship of the congregation
and join our worship theirs,
humbly asking Your forgiveness for our sin.
Help us to remember that You demand truthfulness
and honesty above all things.
Amen.