One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
- Psalm 27:4-5

Does David want safety? Definitely. When his enemies come searching for him, he wants to hide where God is or to be swept up to a place where his enemies can’t reach him.

Does David want victory? Sure. Living through the “day of trouble” would give David a chance to regroup, to come up with a plan of attack (or defense), to fight.

In Psalm 27 David shares his confidence that the Lord will keep him safe and that the Lord will give him victory. But David wants something more.

David longs to be with God. Before mentioning safety, David dreams of gazing on the beauty of the Lord. David loves the Lord. For David, the Lord isn’t a means to an end.

All too often we go to the Lord looking for safety or for victory, but have little desire in our hearts to be with the Lord himself. Locked in a tent with the Lord – even if that made us safe – we would soon grow restless.

Go to the Lord looking for safety and that may be all that you find. Go to the Lord looking for victory and that may be all that you find. Safety and victory seem like such small aspirations when you know that the Lord wants to give you all of himself: his joy, his comfort, his laughter, his creativity and love and grace and mercy … and safety and victory thrown in for good measure.

Don’t settle for a relationship with God that seeks only what God can do for you. You’re not that small-minded. Aim big.

In your prayers today, ask God to grow your desire to be with him. Pray that he would help you to see where he’s at work in and around you. Sit in silence for a few minutes, basking in the presence of God’s Spirit. Thank him for being available to you.