“Now when David reached old age, he made his son Solomon king over Israel. … The Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward, and their number by census of men was 38,000. Of these, 24,000 were to oversee the work of the house of the Lord; and 6,000 were officers and judges, and 4,000 were gatekeepers…” 1 Chronicles 23.1, 3-5a What did it mean to be a ‘gatekeeper?’ We find that job description in 1 Chronicles 26: “They were assigned by families for guard duty at the various gates, without regard to age or training, for it was all decided by means of sacred lots.” 1 Chronicles 26.13 'Sacred lots' means they were chosen by the LORD. We try to keep our homes safe. We lock our doors at night and may even have security lights to protect during the darkness. We lock our cars, hide our valuables inside, lock our post office boxes, gyms lockers, etc. We are aware of the necessity of security. These are all contemporary forms of gatekeeping, yet there are other forms as well. We teach our children about safety around strangers, in essence guarding the gate to their welfare when we cannot be near. The preciousness of our children forces us to be strong gatekeepers, vigilant, and ready to turn away any sign of danger - even forcibly if necessary. We guard those things we treasure. Not all things of great value to us are tangible however. Do we guard the holy temple within our heart? Is our vision keen to recognize foreigners or threats approaching? Do we recognize unholy things drawing near? Are our walls well-tended so all inside remains safe? Those are the responsibilities of a vigilant gatekeeper. The temple housing our holy relationship needs a mighty gatekeeper. You are the chosen one, the one He entrusts with the precious treasure he grows within your heart. Father, help me guard my relationship with you. Help me be vigilant. Show me how to keep my temple, my holy relationship, safe and thriving. Amen. Amen. And amen.
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