Lent Devotional

My name is Craig Rekerdres. Helen and I have been members of Fellowship Bible Church since 2008. Our service includes serving as an Elder, Life Group Leader (the "Digging Deeper" class on Wednesday nights), and in Formed by Ephesians.

‍

Psalm 134 has only three verses but four recipients of blessing. First, the Lord is "blessed" in verses 1 and 2 (NASB). These are blessings of praise and worship which our Lord receives from the grateful hearts of those with whom He is rightly related. This Ascent Psalm was sung by loyal worshippers of the Lord as they made their pilgrimage to the temple. The psalmist exhorts them to "look" to the temple as they worship. The writer of Hebrews also sees blessings to God as we, with the eyes of our hearts, are "seeking the city which is to come." Out of His immense grace, our praise for Christ overflows: "Let's continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name" (Heb 13:15).

‍

Second, there is a blessing for "those who serve in the Lord's temple during the night" (Ps 134:1). From 1 Chron. 9:33, we know that Levitical singers "were on duty day and night." These tired temple servants were acknowledged by the pilgrims for their dedication and service. Those who serve at Fellowship Bible Church do not turn off their worship when they return home. Though tired in body, these loyal followers of Christ continue their worship into the night because the Holy Spirit dwells within them, embracing their devotion. We, along with the pilgrims, lift our prayer of thanksgiving, asking the Lord for His blessing on their service.

‍

A third blessing comes upon the pilgrims themselves. They have left the comfort of their homes to openly express their faith in the Lord. As they move closer to the temple, the holy presence of God moves them to reflect on their sin; in the physical act of walking toward the Lord's house, they turn to Him for sacrificial cleansing. May our pilgrimage in this season have the same reflection and turning as we look to the One who has become our perfect sacrifice — Jesus, the Lamb of God. The phrase translated as "sanctuary" or "holy place" can also mean sanctity. Here, it is used adverbially to exhort us to holy worship. It may be from this verse that Paul exhorts those with whom Timothy is ministering to come to the Lord with a clean heart: "Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and dispute" (1 Tim 2:8).

‍

Fourth, there is a blessing reserved for the psalmist, who is the "you" (singular) in Psalm 134:3. This psalmist has made this pilgrimage many times, and on this occasion, he has been particularly inspired by the Lord as he is struck by the splendor of this experience. As he records these words for future generations to sing in solemn worship, he senses "The Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth" taking control and pulling him closer to Zion. There is no greater blessing than to be used by God to bring praise and worship from His people. "For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved" (2 Cor 2:15).

‍

May God use this season to bless us with a renewed appreciation of this, our pilgrimage, for the transforming work of turning to Him and boldly drawing near through the sinless blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ. "Lord, receive our worship."