Two Swallows

Two swallows flew into our little country church during the time of worship. That Sunday morning the church was full of families from the village as the ‘rose queen’ had been crowned at the village Field Day the day before. She had paraded through the village with her attendants, who were all dressed very splendidly, like pages and bridesmaids. This is a village tradition which goes back a long way and is probably adapted from the ancient English custom of having a May queen, because there’s more chance of warm weather in summer than the first of May. Everyone had enjoyed fun activities in the warm sunshine on the field after the parade.

Now the excited children all looked upward at the birds and enjoyed their acrobatic swooping and singing. The person leading the service said the birds were joining in with our worship that morning.

A few days after this I was studying Psalm 84. I had wondered where the verse in the Bible was about swallows finding a place in God’s house to build their nest! In the beginning of the psalm we find these words: ‘How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God` (Psalm 84:1-2). This is how it should be in the presence of God, our loving, heavenly Father. We should be singing for joy.

There are lot of people described as ‘blessed’ in this psalm. First of all, ‘Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah’ (Psalm 84:4). Secondly ‘Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion’ (Psalm 84:5). Thirdly ‘For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favour and honour. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly’ (Psalm 84:11). And finally ‘O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!’ (Psalm 84:12). This is the way for us to live, always singing praise to the Lord, finding our strength in Him, walking uprightly and trusting in Him.

The psalm speaks of being in God’s presence as being so much better than any other experience we can have, ‘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 the tents of wickedness’ (Psalm 84:10). Who would want to be anywhere else? Nothing could ever be so exciting.

We might describe such a time as a taste of heaven, and sometimes I do experience that in times of praise and worship, when I’m with a group of people. I feel the Holy Spirit making us more highly aware of His presence. There is a feeling of unity and sense of awe. A pastor I once knew had an expression for it, “It’s a good day to be alive”. In my spirit I treasure these times as precious memories. I know that one day I’ll be experiencing them for ever and ever.

Prayer: Loving, heavenly Father, draw us close to You. May we know Your wonderful presence touching us and changing us, making us more like Jesus. Fill us full to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit so we can experience a taste of heaven here on earth. Let us find our strength in You and walk uprightly, trusting in You and singing Your praise. Amen.