Zeal for God's House

As I was having my devotions this morning I came across Psalms 69:9 which says,  "for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me."

Do we have a true zeal for God's house? I thought about this word "house". Is David talking about the temple? No, I don't think David is talking about the temple in the sense of a building. I believe David is talking about God and all that God is. The temple is reference point because this was where God's presence dwelt. I think that David was zealous about everything that God thought was important. I know that David was zealous about God's Law and the Word of the Lord.

As I was reflecting on this idea of "house", I felt that God was saying were to be zealous about God's household, His people. The Bible says we are the temple of God, individually and corporately. The Bible says that we are a family. I believe if we are zealous for God, we should be zealous about our spiritual family. The Bible says we can't love God and not His family. If you are a God fanatic, you will be a family fanatic. Even as we love God we are to love His family.

We have many dysfunctional families in the world today. Sadly to say, I believe we have dysfunctions families in Christ's church, the local church. The people in dysfunctional families are wrapped up in themselves and their personal problems. How often is this true in the family of God. Lord Jesus help us!

Also, as I meditated on this verse, I reflected on the word "consume". This is a strong word. The idea of consume is all encompassing or enveloping. When something consumes you, it controls you.

Now let us think of this in the light of the church, God's family, and our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Can you say that your zeal for God translates into zeal for God's people? Along with your desire to please God and serve Him with all your heart, do you have a desire to please your brothers and sisters in the Lord and serve them? As you stand up for God, are you standing up for His family?

As I think on the last part of this verse, "the insults of those who insult you fall on me". What is David saying? He is saying when someone disrespects you, I take it personally as disrespecting me. When someone insult you by what they say or do, it grieves me. When someone slaps you in the face, it is the same as if they slapped me in the face. When they dishonor you, they dishonor me.

I think we should take this same stand for those who are in our spiritual family, our church and our brothers and sisters in the Lord. What effects one part of the family, effects the whole family. As the "Three Musketeers" saying goes, "all for one and one for all". This is very scriptural. When someone or something attacks one person in the family, what is our reaction? Is it sympathy, compassion, sorrow, and a desire to come to their aid? It should be. Or do we kick our brother when he is down? Do we say, they had it coming to them?

Lord, help us not to be so wrapped up in ourselves, wrapped up in what we are doing, or wrapped up in what we want that we don't see the needs of the family of Christ. Let us stop criticizing your church and your servants. Let us in love help one another to become more like Christ and focus on your mission.