Psalm 84

I prayer through Psalm 84 today, because I was challenged to do so through a class I am taking right now...it was a powerful experience to say the least. I would encourage you to pray your way through it yourself...

Psalm 84
v.1 - Pray about the beauty of be in the presence of the Lord. Pray for the church you are a part of...that your church home would feel like the dwelling place of God.
v.2 - Pray that you would feel as strongly about connecting with God as the psalmist. That you would long for that connection...desperately seek it out. Pray that God meets you in this place.
v.3 - The sparrows would build nests in the cracks of the temple...it was a place of safety for them. Pray that your own church is a place where people feel they can come safely and find acceptance, not judgment.
v.4 - Think about the ways that God has blessed you. Spend some significant time praising Him for the blessings in your life.
v.5-7 - The Israelites had to make a difficult journey to get to the temple. Imagine what it must have been like to finally see it after weeks of brutal travel. Our own lives have many ups and downs, but remember that God is constant...that we know how this story ends. Pray that you will be able to always keep your focus on God and on doing everything you can to become more like Him as you journey towards being forever in His presence.
v.8 - Beg God to hear your prayers...hear your cries and to meet you here. To meet you in the place of your greatest need. To connect with you.
v.9 - This is a verse about praying for the king, so pray for your leaders. Pray for the President. Pray for local leaders. Pray for the pastor of your church. Pray for the roles in which you are a leader.
v.10 - Pray that you will understand the truth of this verse...being in the presence with God...being connected to His will is better than anything else. Pray that you will choose to sacrifice your will...your selfishness...your pride, to do everything you can to live in God's presence.
v.11-12 - Close out your prayer time by praising God for who He is!