Shelter for His Heart - March Word of the Month

Shelter for His Heart by Adam Cates

One of the core scriptures upon which the vision and mission of Burn 24-7 has been developed is the biblical promise of the restoration of David’s Tabernacle in Amos 9:11-12 and Acts 15:16-17. Simply put, David’s Tabernacle was a place of continual worship to God around the Ark of the Covenant. David chose skilled musicians from the tribe of Levi whose sole purpose was to minister to the Lord’s Presence. Most of the Book of Psalms was written from the Tabernacle of David as the musicians and singers received divine revelation in the Lord’s Presence. The Bible tells us that David’s core motive for building this tabernacle was the reality that David was a “man after God’s own heart.”(1 Sam 13:14) Before we can participate in the restoration of the Davidic Tabernacle we must each have a restoration of the Davidic heart. I want to elaborate on what I mean be by that.

Amos 9:11 states that the Lord will restore David’s fallen “shelter.”

Shelter is the operative word here. Who or what was David providing shelter for? Did David think that he could actually provide shelter for God, the Maker of heaven and earth? Did he think that some tent made from wooden poles and animal skins could cover or shelter the Almighty? This is what I think. David was after God’s heart, no matter what the cost. He spent very little time contemplating his own worthiness and instead turned his entire attention on the worthiness, holiness, beauty, majesty and power of His God. Even in his greatest failures, he quickly repented and began to pursue God with a whole heart. The truth is that God provides covering and shelter for us. (Ps. 27:5) However, when we respond to His love by attempting to provide covering and shelter for His heart, He is filled with joy. In fact, He rejoices over us with singing. There is no greater joy to a father than to see his child begin to emulate his character. In effect, David said, “God, I don’t know if it’s possible, but with every fiber of my being, with all I have, I’m going to try and provide the same shelter and cover for Your heart as You have for mine.” This is the mystery and the miracle. Our God allows us the unimaginable joy of being the caretakers and covering of His very own heart. He has made Himself vulnerable to His own creation. We have the ability to bring either pain or joy to His heart. He actually allows us to meet His deep felt needs, not because we are worthy, but because He desires intimacy with His sons and daughters. What a truly awesome God and Father He is to us.

In closing I’d like to weave Jesus into this tapestry because He is the cornerstone of this tabernacle we are participating in. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise that an heir of David would reign on the throne forever. If David was the man after God’s own heart, then Jesus was the man with God’s own heart, making Him both God and man. Because of His finished work on the Cross at Calvary, this tabernacle of worship & intimacy is being rebuilt in the hearts of His people. The “ruined walls” of David’s Tabernacle are being rebuilt with “living stones”, that’s you and I! (I Peter 2:5) The Levites gathered around the Ark of the Covenant. We are now ministers of a new Covenant. God no longer plans to simply dwell among us, but through Christ He will dwell inside us. We are the Tabernacle that is being restored. We are contending for nothing less than the manifestation of Jesus Christ in us and our song and our fellowship with one another. At this very moment there is a heavenly song surrounding the Father and His Son Jesus (Rev 5:13). As modern day Levites and Davidic worshippers, we are asking the Holy Spirit to release that same sound in the earth through us. I believe that when the sound and song in the earth begins to imitate the sound and song in heaven, we will be very close to Return of the King, Christ Jesus! This song is not just composed of audible notes and melodies; it is the very sound of your DNA harmonizing with the Spirit’s groans inside of you for the Kingdom of God to be in the earth as it is in heaven! This is ultimately the sound of longing, desire and love. Jesus is returning to a Burning Bride who is singing the heavenly song of her lover and Lord. Finally, let’s shelter Him with our song. In a world that has hated Him and his lordship, let’s be the ones who minister to the feelings of His heart, not because we are worthy or even able, but because we are after His heart and not even our own deficiencies can separate us from His love. We love You Lord Jesus!!!