High Flying Permissions
It was clear I did not have the greatest position
Reference: “Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?” Psalm 15:1 NIV
Explore: I’ve recently done some international travel, and when you are going through airports there are certain places you are not allowed to go. There are even certain lines you are not permitted to stand in.
The passport you are holding, what is in your bags and what kind of ticket you have purchased, all determine the lines and places you are allowed to go. If a member of security deems you are in the wrong line, and you are being difficult, then they may even take you to a place you don’t want to find yourself in!
You are completely at the mercy of the officials who patrol the airport.
As I stood in line after line I noticed certain people were allowed to come straight to the front of security check ins. Then there were those who were flying first class who were invited onto the airplane first.
It was clear I did not have the greatest of positions or the highest of tickets when I was often delegated to the end of the line!
Application: There are lots of places in our lives where we notice that we hold a certain position. It may be as simple as getting a number at the deli at the grocery store. Or it may be as advanced as the job description you hold at work.
There are often people in higher positions than us, and often in lower positions as well.
In Psalm 15 the writer asks who could possible dwell with the Lord? The type of person who can claim this position might surprise you.
If you consider those who are sitting in the highest positions on earth you would think their fellow companions would need to be rich, have a specialised skill or know other people sitting in high places. This is not the case for God.
God’s companions are those who are righteous, don’t speak ill of others, are honest, committed and generous to the poor. Not necessarily the type of people who are sitting in high-up positions here on earth. But these are the things God considers important.
What a great evaluation of our own actions and motives. Are we keen to be seen with the right people in our world? Or are we living in such a way that we find ourselves dwelling beside God?
Prayer: Lord, while there are many places on earth we would like to be, to be in Your dwelling place would be the ultimate goal. May we focus our hearts on being in Your presence. Amen.
Looking at your own actions and comparing them to the list in Psalm 15, would you find yourself positioned in God’s dwelling place?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.