The Ballestero Blog

Building A Nest In The House Of God

Have you ever needed to escape? Ever gotten weary of dealing with life’s wear and tear? I know just the place for you to go. No, it won’t even cost you any money. You can go by yourself or with the ones you love. I’ve been there and it’s all they ever told me it could be and more besides.

How did I find out about this place? I read about it in a book. Psalms 84 described it to me. I daydreamed about the place and then I went to check it out for myself.

Psalms 84 was actually written to the Chief Musician and was designed especially for the sons of Korah to sing. They were the descendants of the man who rebelled against Moses. It starts out like this:

Psa. 84:1 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!

• How comfortable
• How likeable
• How lovely
• How beloved

Psa. 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

• My souls longs for His House
• My soul can’t stand to be away from His Courts

Psa. 84:3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.

• A nest for the most restless of birds, the swallows.

There Are Five Things That Are Found In The House Of God.

1. Praise – Worship is always resident in His House.

• Psa. 84:4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

2. Power – His House is where strength is found

• Psa. 84:5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

• Psa. 84:7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.

3. Prayer – Here is where our prayers get heard.

• Psa. 84:8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.

4. Protection – We are vulnerable in life. We need Him to be our shield.

• Psa. 84:9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.

5. Privilege – It’s an honor to just to get to come into His House.

• Psa. 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

• Psa. 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

• Psa. 84:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

Although the passage is powerful and beautiful, it brings me to the unanswered question:

Why Do The Swallows Build Their Nests In The House Of The Lord?

1. The nest is a refuge from the storm, a place to hide. It’s a place of safety.

2. It’s for reproduction. The nest is where new life begins.

3. It’s for rest. The nest is a hideaway where the weary can recover their strength.

4. It’s where the baby swallows are raised. The nest is a place of growth and maturity.

• Swallows are transient birds. They are only here till they make their flight. We too are only here till we make our flight.
• Jewish custom forbade anyone to kill or drive away a bird from the Temple. It’s nest was to be left undisturbed.

Oh, did I tell you where the swallows in Psalm 84 built their nests?  They built them on the altar.

Psa. 84:3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.

We as ‘spiritual’ swallows will never enjoy the benefits of God’s House until we build ourselves a nest on the altar.

1. Jacob was forever blessed when he wrestled with an angel at his altar of prayer.

2. A nature change overcomes those that build an altar. Ananias was comforted by God over the news that Saul of Tarsus was on his was over to meet him.

• Acts 9:11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

It takes a while to build a nest.

There is where our peace comes from. There is where prayers get answered. They that build their nest at the altar, enjoy safety from the storm.  Never fear. No one can run you away from there or disturb your nest.

Have you built yourself a nest yet?

Every bird has a nest somewhere. Where’s yours?