DWELLING PLACE

DWELLING PLACE

I love the Word of God. When the Lord and I sit down together to spend time in His Word, the words seem to dance off the pages and into my heart, and weave themselves into the fabric of my very life like golden Word threads.

This morning I sat at the Well, my head bent over Psalm 27. The Lord sat so very near me as we read His Book together. His breath stirred the page, causing the words to rise up and enter into my heart. The words were these: "One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: 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 meditate in His temple” (Psalm 27:4 NASB).

Hmmm...“That I may dwell in the house of the Lord...” I closed my eyes and could picture myself walking, suitcase in hand, visiting houses. Occasionally, I would see a house that looked inviting. I carried my suitcase through the front door and stayed for a time, but didn't unpack.

But one day I met the Lord and He invited me in to relationship with Him. I entered in with wide-eyed wonder. He welcomed me with open arms. I carried my suitcase inside, you know, the heavy one with all the things the world says I need to make it through; so many different things to put on in order to make me acceptable; to fit in. He invites me to allow Him to take the heavy load I am carrying, and come and rest awhile. I place the suitcase in His hands, noting the scars.

He leads me along. There is so much to see; so much to take in. A house tells so much about the Master of it: their interests; what matters to them. We come into a room that is both spacious and yet so very intimate. I catch my breath at the beauty – there’s something about the light. A stream runs right through the room; the water seeming to dance joyfully as the light touches it. He invites me to sit awhile.

I notice a book; it turns out He is the author. He smiles and brings with Him a cup filled with water from the stream and places it in my hands as He opens the book – His book and sits down next to me. I sip the water as He speaks His Words to me; I am strangely refreshed. The water and His Word seem to pour into my very heart, and then I realize that His Presence has surrounded me; His Words giving me life and I find myself kicking off my shoes, and nestling into His Presence; to dwell there—I am home.

My friend, are you lugging a heavy suitcase around with you? The one filled with all the ways you have to make sense of life? There is only One who can do that; and He is the Author of life. Do you want to know Him? You can right now, right where you are.

Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

God is inviting you into a relationship with Him, through His Son, Jesus. You can talk to Him right now. Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross to pay for my sins. Please forgive my sins and come into my heart. I give you my life. Amen.

Could it be that you know Jesus, but you are still running place to place, lugging that heavy suitcase filled with “religious” ideas and “how to” that you can’t even begin to live out. Have you lost sight that knowing Him is all about relationship with Him?

Look at Jesus' words to believers in Revelation 3:20.
20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends (Rev 3:20 NLT).

Your heart looks up at the sound of a familiar voice. You realize it has been a long time since you were still enough to really listen to Him. You walk the path to His door. You needn’t have worried about finding Him, He’s right there waiting – as if He has been expecting you.

He welcomes you and offers to take the heavy load off your hands. You surrender all you have been carrying into His hands as He leads you to a place of great beauty, where streams of living water flow freely. His Book is nearby; you blow the dust off the cover, the pages make that wonderful sound as you open wide His Truth.

He hands you a cup of water, as He sits next to you. His breath stirs the pages and His Presence surrounds you, covers you and His Word and Living Water fill you and refresh you. You look up into the eyes of the One who gave all for you and you realize you are dwelling in His Presence – you are home.

An Original Conversations at the Well
©Diana Morgan March 19, 2011