A Faithful Doorkeeper

During medical mission trips to Cambodia at times I had the role of "policeman."  What this job entailed was ensuring the patients/guests were ushered to the correct station in a timely manner.  After a presentation of the Gospel, visitors were permitted to choose two different free services at a medical, dental, or eye-glass stations.  Part of the role was to ensure people did not sneak in without being checked in at the triage station or jump the queue.  Keeping a friendly eye on the people and coordinating movement to stations was employed for their comfort, safety, and for the benefit of all who offered the services.  Without guidance the stations would be overwhelmed with inquisitive or demanding people and services would suffer.

The role of "policeman" is an important one for medical outreaches to run smoothly, but it is not nearly as important as those tasked with keeping watch of the doors of the temple in Israel.  At the gates trained men were stationed who ensured only those who were permitted entered.  Women and Gentiles were restricted to the outer court, whilst men who were purified according to the Law of Moses could enter the inner court.  Only Priests and Levites on duty could enter the temple itself, and it was a place of absolute reverence and purity before God.  To be a doorkeeper at the temple doors was a privilege and honour few were afforded and taken most seriously.

The role of a doorkeeper came to mind when I read Psalm 84:9-12:  "O God, behold our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed. ¹⁰ For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. ¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. ¹² O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!"  To be entrusted to keep watch over the holy place where the presence of the Almighty God dwelt was of great importance.  God was for His people a sun and shield, and the doorkeeper was responsible to provide entry for those serving in the temple and deny entrance to all that would defile.  In a way the doorkeeper acted as a shield, to guard the holy place from corruption.

Under the New Covenant of grace, Jesus is our Great High Priest and we have become the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives within us.  He has not withheld any good things from those who walk uprightly, from those who trust in Him.  Our righteousness comes by grace through faith in Him, and as His sanctified children we in a sense have the role of a doorkeeper concerning our bodies.  Often we must bear the responsibility for allowing filth to enter our consciousness through our eyes and ears.  The air drawn through our nostrils is exhaled, and all the food and drink we consume are eventually eliminated, but this is not so for what we see and hear.  These things are meticulously stored in our memories and imprinted upon our hearts.  Most that spiritually defiles us within comes through these senses, and therefore we must be discerning and vigilant to be on guard continuously.

As priests unto our LORD we also ought to recognise anything that defiles which is discovered within the holy place, for from our fleshly hearts arises all matter of corruption from inside.  We could keep the doors of our eyes and ears closed and suddenly lust, greed, selfishness, pride, and deceit can spawn and appear within us.  Jesus Christ Has atoned for these sins with His shed blood on Calvary, and should we see them appear within us - like filthy rats which have squeezed through an open window in the temple - we must swiftly deal with them through repentance.  The Psalmist said to be a doorkeeper of the LORD's house for one day was better than a thousand, and what a sober privilege and responsibility we are given by God's grace to set a guard upon our hearts and minds.  As those chosen and anointed, let us walk in faith in our God who is our sun and shield.  Let us be vigilant to keep ourselves in purity and thus sanctify our God whose glory outshines the sun.