In God We Trust
17 Nov

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Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.               Psalm 90: 1

Sometimes when I read scripture, it seems like particular verses are written in light. That's how it was today with this verse. The beginning of Psalm 90 is similar to the beginning of the next psalm, Psalm 91, which reads: "He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."

What does it mean for God to be our dwelling place, secret place, or place of nurturance and safety?

The thought that came to me is how different life is for a person who is homeless versus someone who has a home. A home is a place of safety, of comfort, of warmth. A homeless person doesn't have shelter to protect him when it’s raining, snowing or brutally cold. When homeless people are sleeping, as we all must, they are extremely vulnerable to harm.

A locked home is surely a safer place to sleep than a park bench, alley or abandoned building.

God can be for us a safe home, a place of rest, a shelter from harm. But if He truly is, why do people, even Christians, sometimes not feel safe with Him? Why do we avoid Him when we’re struggling? Why do we run away?

The rest of Psalm 90 deals with that issue. The psalm, which is attributed to Moses, describes the fickle attitude of the people of God toward Him when they were on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land - their complaining and rejection of His leadership. This caused them to feel detached from God, fearing his anger and punishment.

He did become angry and was forced to correct them, but even then, He protected and never abandoned them. Some people, like Moses and Joshua probably continued to dwell in God’s presence, enjoying His comfort and care, but most of the people lost the confidence to believe that He was on their side.

This is actually a familiar story for me. At times I distance myself from God, get into trouble, and then, instead of running to him for support and forgiveness, I put my fig leaves on, like Adam and Eve, and run away.

God’s personality doesn’t change, but our connection to Him does, wavering according to our moods and behaviors. This produces a relationship with Him that at times feels close, at times feels distant.

One of the main things I’m striving for in my life is greater constancy in my relationship with God. I want to approach Him in trust and love even when my own thoughts and actions pull me in the opposite direction. I want to believe that, no matter what happens, He is my home, my safe haven, and I can find rest in His heart.

"Here’s the one thing I crave from God,
the one thing I seek above all else:
I want the privilege of living with him every moment in his house,
finding the sweet loveliness of his face,
filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace.
I want to live my life so close to him
that he takes pleasure in my every prayer.

In his shelter in the day of trouble, that’s where you’ll find me,
for he hides me there in his holiness.
He has smuggled me into his secret place,
where I’m kept safe and secure — out of reach from all my enemies."             Psalm 27: 4-5 TPT

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