Why It is Better to Be Hidden in Him

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psa 91:1  

My Dwelling Place: My Refuge and My Fortress

What is your dwelling place?

For some their favourite dwelling place is their pub.

For others it is their home.

Which is ok.

We dwell where we love. It might be the air, or the breeze.

But for this psalmist his dwelling place was in God.

It is where he sang, prayed and worshipped.

It is where he hid.

And where everything fell into place.

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. 

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. Psa 27:4-5  

Because this world is passing away.  

Because in him is forgiveness of sins, love, mercy, and the one thing which will never end - eternal life.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psa 23:6  

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Joh 14:1-3  

To Dwell and To Be Indwelt

To dwell then is the poetic way of being in a covenant relationship with God.  “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth” (Deu 7:6). 

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Joh 1:12-13  

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Gal 4:6  

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2Pe 1:4  

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 1Jn 3:1  

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Joh 14:23  

Therefore, it is through dwelling in God alone that we eventually land on the meaning of life.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psa 16:11  

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. Ecc 2:9-11 

O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psa 136:26  

In the Secret Place of the Most High

What is a secret place?

Why a secret place?

The graces of God are freely available to all.

One can imbibe them as much as one can take.

They are many: like the love of God, the mercy of God, the patience of God, the wisdom of God, the kindness of God and the faithfulness of God.

It’s like a sea.

One can swim near the shore or one can launch deep.

The deep place then is what I compare to the secret place of God.

Everybody can get there.

But not everybody is willing.

True, I can dwell anywhere.

My thoughts can be a secret place, right?

Feeding on self?

Ah, but that doesn’t end the restlessness!

That’s why I would rather dwell in the secret place of the Most High.

It may be lonely.

It may be windswept.

But I shall never go hungry or thirsty again.

I Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty

There are many shadows.

There are many trees.

Where a shadow is cast depends on the length of the tree.

The shorter the tree the shorter the shadow.

But the shadow of man can only be as short or as tall according to his height.

Only the shadow of God can cover the whole earth.

Yes, I would rather dwell under his shadow than anywhere else.

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Psa 139:1-6  

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Psa 90:1-2

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1Jn 4:15-16  

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Col 3:1-4 

Happy dwelling!