Camping with God

I'm not much for camping. A combination of hard ground, bugs and unsettling noises has never been my idea of a vacation. My style is more Marriott than KOA. I appreciate the luxuriousness of the huge hotel beds and the vast array of pillow density choices to rest my head. And a bathroom only a few steps away beats walking through the woods, towel and washcloth in hand, to find a decent shower.
Given my aversion to the camping scene you can imagine my alarm when I opened my Bible to Psalm 61. It starts out with a rallying message. "Refuge"..."strong tower"...."tent."
Hold it right there.
Tents go with camping. And by now you know how I feel about that activity. How could David write that he longed to dwell in a tent? I guess the Old Testament didn't have a Ritz Carlton. David certainly would have longed to dwell there instead, don't you think?
Of course the Ritz and early check-in were long after David's time but David wasn't a stranger to luxury. He was, after all, a king. Still he longed for a tent. But not just any tent. God's tent.
David understood that life in a tent with God was better than residing in a palace without Him.
So, following the example of David, I've decided to pack up my knapsack and take refuge at God's campsite. Like I anticipated there is dirt and dust. The ground is damp and it hasn't suddenly become as soft as a down-filled pillow.
But once inside God's tent I don't even notice those campsite quirks. Inside God's tent there is peace, a peace that even the Ritz can't offer. There is security - better security than the double lock on any hotel door. There is perfect rest that is more restorative than any slumber I could hope for on a king size mattress with percale sheets.
God's tent is unlike any tent you can buy at REI. It is heavenly. It is glorious. It is holy.
I'm still not ready for KOA but I'm ready for GOA - God's Otherworldly Accommodations. Residing with God no matter what the accommodation is always the most perfect place to rest. It is the only safe place to put one's head. With God, even a tent can be a tower.