Only goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalms 23:6
Yesterday was one of those days, when exhaustion followed me everywhere – like an unwanted companion. It did not help that my little twins decided not to take their naps – which resulted in late afternoon two-year old tantrums. In the midst of these tantrums, I decide to try to cook, which turned out to be an edible disaster. I told my kids it was my version of Chinese goulash. They didn’t really buy it and decided on yogurt cups instead. There were more tantrums and then off to a meeting that evening. When I finally got home I could hardly keep myself awake. I was definitely not “dwelling” in my abode. These days exhaustion is my nemeses to dwelling.
Abide
In my hectic life of running after little ones there is little luxury for sitting. Yet I know that to dwell I must slow it down in my heart if not in my physical being. To dwell means to abide, to sit, and to remain. If I am dwelling in the house of the Lord, I feel secure. Only with God’s mercy can I be secure. My trust and hope is dwelling on Him – my faith working through God’s love. (Gal. 5:6)
Mercies
King David figured out the secret of how to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. He understood the necessity of having God’s goodness and mercy in his life everyday. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lam. 3:22-23) I find great comfort in knowing that even if I have a horrible day, God’s mercy will be new the next day. His faithfulness is greater than all my weaknesses.
Goodness
There are recipes in life that make sense because they go together. God’s goodness and His mercy are one recipe for success in my life. I want to dwell on His goodness toward me instead of dwelling on the negative. When I dwell on the negative circumstances in my life, I get exhausted and dangerously bitter. It is a challenge daily to dwell in the blessings and goodness of God. To focus upon those areas in my life where I can pinpoint God’s goodness.
Contentment
Dwelling also denotes contentment in my identity. Where I dwell is where I feel most “at home” in my spirit and mind. I want to dwell in God’s redemption of my life. God is keeping watch over my “dwelling” and He hears my prayers. If I walk with the Spirit of God as my guide, then I have greater awareness of who I am and what I am to be about. “If we live in the Spirit, let us walk by the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:25) My daily goal is to have contentment in my current dwelling. My ultimate goal is to feel secure in my future dwelling – forever in the house of the Lord!
Dwell
Abide. Mercies. Goodness. Contentment.
What is your nemeses to really dwelling? Do you feel secure in your current dwelling and future dwelling?
Image credit: Christopher Wong