God Speaking

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty”

(Psalm 91:1)

I have always been fascinated with words and some especially appeal to me in the way they roll off one’s tongue and give the mind a mental picture of what they are describing. Dwell is one of those words. It is not without emotion like live/stay or reside. It is not the official address you fill in on forms, it conveys an overriding of so much more and when the Heavenly Father uses it a whole new avenue of who he is and who we are is opened up.

My husband and I have been restless movers around the world, living in many different locations, countries, cities, homes in fact one of my daughters remarked just recently, “You and Dad have been gypsies all your lives,” only now that we are old, finally staying in one place. We never found a place in all our travels where we were actually able to say with conviction, that we have found a place we were content to stay until, an amazing revelation occurred when we came to Canada 40 years ago. We discovered, not a place, but an invitation to become part of the household of God to discover the depth of that beautiful word, dwell, to discover that accepting his invitation, was moving in with the most incredible landlord anyone could imagine.

“They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among the. I am the Lord their God.” (Exodus 29:46)

There is no pressure from the Lord for us to move in with him, it has to be a conscious decision on our part and when we look carefully look at the definition of the word, it doesn’t mean; “I will see you on Sunday” The dictionary defines it thus

To remain as in a permanent residence, to have one’s own abode.

The Psalmists knew that the Lord first places that longing in our hearts and then we have to make the next step;

“I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.” (Psalm 61:4)

The other incredible part of accepting the Lord’s offer is the wonderful benefits that go with it, no other landlord would ever guarantee to deliver what the Lord promises to do for us. If we dwell with him, we will live within a refuge that is overshadowed by the Almighty himself. How safe is that!

“If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the Lord who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you and no disaster come near your tent.” (Psalm 91: 9 – 10)

Most of us don’t live in tents anymore, but we who live under the new covenant have an even deeper meaning to the word “dwell.” God chose to dwell among his people and when he gave us his only son, a greater extension of the beautiful promise was given. Jesus not only asks us to dwell with him he in turn will dwell himself within our hearts if we allow him to.

“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, rooted and established in love, may have power, together with the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:17 – 18)