WHERE IS YOUR DWELLING PLACE?

We all need a special place where we feel safe from the noise and demands of living. God offers us Himself as our dwelling place, a place of quiet rest, strength, and acceptance—a place where no one or nothing can affect us.

ETERNAL PERSPECTIVES             by Sally Bair

Your dwelling place

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1)

On cold days when I felt especially harried from the demands of raising my three young children and two foster girls, I found a “safe place”—the barn. The soft noises from our cows and their big-body warmth always soothed my spirit. Spending a short time there made me feel settled and ready again to meet the demands of motherhood.

We crave places of shelter from the noise and bustle that surrounds us. We search for it. Whether we’re sick in body or spirit, a busy parent, teacher, laborer or business owner, we can choose a quiet spot. It can be in nature or inside our home or workplace. In such dwelling places we can find momentary peace and rejuvenation of spirit.

God would have us choose Him as our ultimate safe place of shelter. Psalm 91 tells us how. Dwelling in the shelter of God is the Old Testament’s way of teaching faith. As humans, we have no built-in shelter against the elements of nature or living. But God offers us His protection, and more, when we choose to accept it. Yes, we may believe He is our protector and refuge. We may even feel peaceful and content when we think about His sheltering arms. But we will never experience it until we lay hold of it, by faith.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of stories exist about God’s supernatural protection of those who have quoted Psalm 91, believing without any doubt His promises of shelter. Many of those stories come from servicemen and women and first responders.

I believe Christians should memorize Psalm 91 and store it in their hearts and minds. For example, say verse 2 aloud. “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Him I will trust.’” When we speak His Word, rather than just read its promises aloud, its power seems to multiply.

We cannot protect ourselves from all the bad things that can happen, though we try to find safe places like my cattle barn. But as David wrote in Psalm 60:11, “Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless [in vain].” Regular physical checkups, insurance and other precautions are helpful but offer no foolproof guarantee of protection. Only God can do that. In fact, He considers us as—and calls us—His sheep. Without Him we are helpless.

Lord, thank You for Your protection and for being our refuge. Strengthen our faith to lay hold of Your faithful promises. In Jesus’ name, amen.