People dwell in many different types of houses. Some are huge with many rooms made from expensive materials snd others are simple one room homes. Igloos, cabins, and condominiums shelter people.
Many people around the world in self isolation due to the pandemic, dwelling in places they call “home.”
With the “shelter in place” order, we’ve had more time at home. Our bodies can be present in our homes, but what about our minds and hearts? Does your mind frequently go to thoughts of the negative news? Do you feel anxious throughout the day? Where are you dwelling in your mindset?
Where do you dwell in your mindset?
When we dwell on something, we continually think about it. The thoughts dominate us whether it’s a major event or an everyday worry. Continually focusing on the negative becomes a hindrance to daily living.
When we turn to Bible, we find positive, not negative, direction for our thoughts.
Isaiah 43:18 states, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”
In the Psalms, God is often described as a refuge or a dwelling place. I’ve turned to the Lord as my refuge when I’ve faced a recent cancer diagnosis and surgery.
Lately I’ve been thinking about what it means to dwell with the Lord during this time of shelter in place.
Psalm 27:4 states,
“One thing I ask, this is what I ask of the Lord, that I my dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”
What does it mean to dwell in the house of the Lord?
The Amplified Bible expresses Psalm 27:4 this way:
One thing I have asked of the Lord, and that I will seek:That I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life,
To gaze upon the beauty [the delightful loveliness and majestic grandeur] of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.
The one thing is dwelling my thoughts on what the Lord says in his word. The word “dwell” came from the Hebrew word yashab, which means to “sit down, settle, remain, and inhabit.”
As you read the following verses, substitute one of those synonyms for the word dwell.
The Bible gives benefits of dwelling with the Lord.
- We have a place of security for our souls.
“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6
- We have a place of protection from fear.
“For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:5
- We have a place of rest in the presence of God.
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1
Where will you settle your thoughts, or remain in your soul?
Look to the Lord as the secret dwelling place for your soul as you stay at home.
Security, protection, and rest for our souls are found when we dwell our hearts and minds with the Lord.
