Jim Gallagher

Psalm 48:9
“We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness, In the midst of Your temple.”

We learn two very important things about following Jesus from this one verse.

First, the Psalmist talks about his location. We find him in the midst of the Temple. The Temple was the center of worship for the Old Testament saint; as the church is the center of worship for us. The children of Israel were required to travel to the Temple three times every year, for seven different feasts. No matter how far away they lived, this pilgrimage was necessary, for it was at the Temple they would hear the Word of God, be involved in corporate worship, and enjoy fellowship with the other believers. Our personal growth in Christ has a lot to do with our location. When we choose to frequently fellowship on a regular basis, we will find that our growth is enhanced. When we neglect it, our growth is stunted. The writer of Hebrews, recognizing the importance of regular Christian fellowship, wrote, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

Second, the Psalmist gives us a glimpse into his thought life. He tells us that he meditates upon the lovingkindness of God. Our thought life is crucial to our spiritual growth. If we fill our minds with images, or imaginations of things that are sinful, it will not be long before we find ourselves practicing those sins. James explained the way sin comes to fruition in our lives, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” James 1:14-15

If we want to succeed in following Jesus, we need to guard our thought life. We need to love God with our minds by not letting ourselves go down those roads with our imagination.

Pastor Jim