In the Old Testament, the Temple was considered the “house” where the Spirit of the Lord dwelt (2 Chr. 7:1-3; Ezek. 43:4-5; 44:4). David said, “Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, And the place where thine honour dwelleth” (Psalm 26:8). David loved the house of God. This desire was contrasted against gathering with the ungodly: “I have not sat with vain persons, Neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; And will not sit with the wicked” (Psalm 26:4–5).
David loved the house of God, but he also desired to dwell within it: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). The word “dwell” in the Hebrew means to “inhabit,” “remain,” and “be established.” David didn’t just want an acquaintance with the place where God dwelled, but he wanted to be established within it.
But we should remember, that the Temple wasn’t built until after David’s death. The glory of the Lord dwelt in a tent during the days of David. It wasn’t the grand edifice of Solomon’s day. Rather, the house of God wasn’t much of an aesthetically pleasing beauty. What was within that house is what mattered to David.
Though the Spirit of the Lord isn’t confined to modern church buildings, it is the corporate gathering place of God’s people. There in that place we worship, sing, and adore our God (Heb. 10:25). But it is important that we love the One who fills the house. Your place of worship may not be a physically grand edifice that stands out within your city, but you should love it and want to be established within it. Don’t just love the thought of church, but get in it and remain in it.