“Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.” Psalm 90:1
Dear Ones:
From the moment a person comes to saving faith in Christ, and is born of the Spirit, his destination, home, and where he lives, changes. That which comes to describe the believer, which was not characteristic before, is the presence of LIFE, eternal life, life by the Spirit of Christ. It is a life that is unalterable, indissoluble, inseparable, always new and fresh every morning, until that perfect day when we see Christ. In that day, at that moment, there will be the perfect revelation, and full effect, of the finished work of Calvary, and the accomplishment of all that the coming of the Spirit of God at Pentecost means. There will be the leaving behind forever, in the grave, of all that pertains to a life not associated, nor having its origin and expression in Christ. The phrase, “…for me to live is Christ,” will have its full realization, shining in the fullness of its glory. But what about NOW, and life on this earth? How and where are we to live, and this, in a manner that glorifies God, and by which, Christ’s life and power are revealed?
When the Lord Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman (Jn. 4) about where to worship, He made it clear that it was not an issue of the physical locality, but the attitude and disposition of the heart, as one worships by the Spirit of God, according to the truth. After Pentecost, when the Spirit of God was poured out, and believers were indwelt by the Spirit, the believer’s body because that place of worship. How could this be? The body became the temple of God, the place where Christ resides, or dwells in the heart…by faith. The very Spirit of Christ had been given not only to enable the believer to know the things freely given to him by God, but to enable him to worship the Father in Spirit and truth. Power and strength were given to the believer who truly trusted in God, who waited upon Him for the supply of every need. So, Christ came to dwell, take up residence in the heart. He also came to reign absolutely in the life. Where then is the believer to truly dwell, according to the Scriptures?
In one of Moses’ prayers found in Psalm 90, he prays: “Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.” (v.1) How is it that the believer’s dwelling place is primarily in God? First, we know from Scripture that all mankind has their existence in God, for it is God who has created each individual. Paul put it like this, “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) So, we dwell, or live, because of God. But on this earth, where do we as believers live? Moses says that God Himself, Christ, is our dwelling place. He is the potential dwelling place for all men, but specifically, certainly, and beneficially, for the believer who has been put INTO Christ by the Father. This means that wherever the believer is on this earth, not only is he in the presence of God, whether on land or sea, he remains in union with Christ, there to dwell IN HIM. This is one reason for which the Lord Jesus told his disciples: “Abide in Me, and I in you.” (Jn. 15:4) In one of Paul’s prayers, he prays for the believers in Ephesus, to be, “…strengthened with might by His Spirit, that Christ may DWELL in your hearts by faith.” (3:16,17) Paul is not saying that Christ leaves the heart, and then comes again to dwell there. He is speaking of the experience of appropriating the reality of His presence, dwelling in Him, and He, manifesting His life in and through the believer by the Spirit. This is very evident by Paul’s words to the Philippians, “…that I might know HIM, and the power of His resurrection.” (3:10) Again in Ephesians, he declares: “…to know the love of Christ,” “…that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (3:19)
Dear Father, Be thou our dwelling place, abiding in the Lord Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad