Where Do You Live?

Daily Devotional: Day 173

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1, KJV).

Your zip code reveals important information about you. Obviously, it tells us which geographical area you live. It further tells us about the services in the area: schools, health centers, malls, employment opportunities, etc. Additionally, your zip code says something about the general safety of the area, and reveals important demographic information as well. Some areas are safer and more appealing than others. When you’re are deciding where to live, you take into account these factors.

Just as there are physical addresses, so are there ‘spiritual addresses,’ too. Yes, in matters of spirituality, you can choose where to live or in whom to dwell. Where you live in spirit will make all the difference in your life. You may physically live at YYYYY, but in spirit, you will be living at 00000. In matters of spiritual residence, you are where you live.

Today’s Scripture says that the God of Israel is a Residence. You can, therefore, make Him your ‘zip code.’ You can choose to dwell in His secret place and under His shadow. If you do that, and someone asks you, “Where do you live?”, you reply, “I live in the secret place of the most High and I abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” The key words here are “dwell” and “abide.” This means you make a conscious effort to make the Lord your habitation. In practical terms, it means you love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul; you depend on Him as your only source of life and hope; and you cling to His Word wholeheartedly, seeking His face in prayer, meditation and obedience. It’s not about making occasional visits to God. God is not a website or blog you visit.  The Lord doesn’t entertain tourists; He welcomes those who desire to know Him and live with Him.

Dwelling in the secret place of the Most High is a way of life which involves seeking the Lord’s presence, so that there’s no place you’d rather be; and your soul’s delight is to honor Him in all things. Jesus Himself affirmed this when He said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4, emphasis added). Here, Jesus is asking you to make Him your permanent residence. He is not asking you to visit Him. He wants you to cling to Him and dwell in Him. 

The safest place to be is to abide in the Lord. Your spiritual residence is, therefore, not a geographical location; it is a Person – Jesus Christ. This spiritual place is where you belong. This is your neighborhood. Here, all divine blessings are yours, as Psalm 91 declares. Where would you rather live?  

May the promises of the Lord come to pass in your life as you abide in Him. Amen.

For further study: Psalm 91:1-16