The Delight of a Doorkeeper

“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in tents of wickedness.”—Psalm 84:10

This world offers various pleasures, but they are all fleeting.  Moses offers a classic case in point.  As Hebrews describes,

“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.  He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward”—Hebrews 11:24-26.

Moses is not the only person to reject the pleasures of the world for the sake of being faithful to God.   Jesus personally knew what it meant to have the world handed to Him—Satan offered Jesus all of the kingdoms of the world if only He would worship him (Matthew 4:8-9), but Jesus refused, citing the exclusivity, requirement, and necessity of worshiping God alone (Matthew 4:10).  That is why He could talk about the possibility of gaining the world while sacrificing one’s soul in the process (Matthew 16:26).  We could choose the fleeting pleasures of sin, but to do so is to sacrifice our soul.

The Psalmist understood that to do just a little bit in the service of God (serving as a doorkeeper for one day) was more valuable than living a thousand days with the wicked.  As believers, we must make sure that we understand, as Moses did, that the pleasures of sin are fleeting.  We don’t look to find our pleasures and rewards in this life, but in the next (see 1 John 2:17).  Our hope goes beyond this world to heaven (1 Corinthians 15:19), and like Abraham, we look forward to a heavenly city “whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10).

May we each find delight as doorkeepers for God, knowing that our task, however menial, does not go unnoticed in the sight of God.  And He will reward us for all of the work we do in and for His great and glorious name.  Amen.