Dwelling and Resting
For the past few months, I've been getting up really early before work and going for Prayer Walks with Mum.
Now, you should know that while I'm all up for committing each day to God before the day begins - I am a Lover of Sleep, so I've never been one who jumps at the idea of getting up ridiculously early just to pray.
It's funny how the very thing we tell God we are not wired for - is exactly what we find ourselves doing.
A few months ago, I awoke at 5.20am and felt the need to jump out of bed to in some way spend time with God. It shocked me as much as any reader. However, I just knew that since it was dawn already, I wanted to get down to the beach and spend time with God to pray, watch, wait and listen.
And so I did. It was incredible.
3 months on, I am still waking up a early to meet with God. Since we are heading into winter, it's a little bit darker and a little bit colder, so Mum has started coming with me and we both now begin our day by walking the streets of our suburb in quiet prayer. Funny, since we don't walk with eachother in casual chit-chat, - we walk a few meters apart so we can focus on prayer - people must think that we are fighting! It's mildly amusing.
Anyway, God has been shaping my life significantly these past few months - so much so that I think I am beginning to learn what the Psalmist talks about in Psalm 91: "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty".
For me, the past few months have been a recurring cycle of Dwelling then Resting, Dwelling then Resting and Dwelling then Resting.
If I could briefly explain, this is what I have begun to learn:
He who dwells in God -
He who makes time in His day to abide in Christ, He who is willing to be naked before their maker and face the mighty winds of conviction, He who quietens their hearts, minds and soul to allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the Love of God, He who enters into an holy and reverent attitude of praise and worship despite the mountain of chores and tasks one must attend to later that day ...
Will rest in God.
He who does this will experience fullness of joy. Peace that transcends all understanding. A renewed sense of purpose. Wisdom for what to do, discernment for how to do it. Readiness to share the gospel. Confidence in the place God has put you. Contentness and Gratefulness in today's manna. Resignation to 'work on yourself', to 'figure out the long term Will of God', to 'plan next year' but to Seek the Lord for today and know in peace that He will tend to the rest.
When you dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty, He will give you the strength to stand in this battle, but He will win your battles. He will give you the wisdom for what to say, but He will change people's hearts. He will give you a burden to pray for the lost, but He will draw them near to Himself by the conviction of His Holy Spirit.
When you dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty, He will unveil His daily will for you. Insecurity will have no place in your interaction with man. Confusion and Indecision will no longer paralyse you out of action. What terrifies the world will not terrify you. What people think and expect of you will not sway you.
When you dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty, fear will no longer grip you. You will walk with confidence that nothing will take you from this earth until you have fulfilled every last thing God has called you to fulfill. Equipped with the armour of God and under the authority of Jesus Christ, You will walk boldly amongst evil binding evil and loosing the Kingdom of God upon your world.
When you dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty, you will rest. Anxiety will no longer course through your veins as you rush about your days activity. You will no longer feel the need to control yourself, your situation, others around you. When you dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty, you dwell in the fact that He is the great Orchastrator of life working all things together for your good, He is determining your steps and He will give you all that you need in every situation to do that which He has called you to do. Nothing else matters, anyway.
You will be watched over by angels, rescued, protected, comfoted and delivered by God Almighty in the exact length of time He purposed for you to live on this earth. He will continue to unveil His salvation unto those who abides in Him. What joy! What confidence! What peace.
BUT.
This rest is a predecessor to dwelling in the shadow of the Almighty. None of this fruit can be attained by simply flicking through the Word at night and praying in the car while battling through traffic.
No, this rest can only be experienced as one devotes 110% of their hearts, mind and soul to meditating in prayer - watching, waiting, listening for the Shadow of the Almighty to unveil Himself to the heart. It takes time, it takes a disciplined quietening of the soul. This cannot be rushed, and it cannot be done with sin in our heart.
Of course, God in His mercy, grace and love will sustain His children even when we only offer Him the snippets of our lives, but we will be merely eating bland appetizers when there is a feast ready for us in the next room.
We must take the time to repent, emptying ourselves our so that we are poor in Spirit, mournful over the state of ourselves and filled with a ravenous hunger God. It is only here that God is able to respond to our hunger, fill us overflowing with His Spirit and such pure a heart, we will truly see God.
(Matthew 5.1-11 paraphrased)
He who abides in God's provision will truly rest in the Shadow of the Almighty.
Your sister in the journey of working out our salvation with fear and trembling.
Now, you should know that while I'm all up for committing each day to God before the day begins - I am a Lover of Sleep, so I've never been one who jumps at the idea of getting up ridiculously early just to pray.
It's funny how the very thing we tell God we are not wired for - is exactly what we find ourselves doing.
A few months ago, I awoke at 5.20am and felt the need to jump out of bed to in some way spend time with God. It shocked me as much as any reader. However, I just knew that since it was dawn already, I wanted to get down to the beach and spend time with God to pray, watch, wait and listen.
And so I did. It was incredible.
3 months on, I am still waking up a early to meet with God. Since we are heading into winter, it's a little bit darker and a little bit colder, so Mum has started coming with me and we both now begin our day by walking the streets of our suburb in quiet prayer. Funny, since we don't walk with eachother in casual chit-chat, - we walk a few meters apart so we can focus on prayer - people must think that we are fighting! It's mildly amusing.
Anyway, God has been shaping my life significantly these past few months - so much so that I think I am beginning to learn what the Psalmist talks about in Psalm 91: "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty".
For me, the past few months have been a recurring cycle of Dwelling then Resting, Dwelling then Resting and Dwelling then Resting.
If I could briefly explain, this is what I have begun to learn:
He who dwells in God -
He who makes time in His day to abide in Christ, He who is willing to be naked before their maker and face the mighty winds of conviction, He who quietens their hearts, minds and soul to allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the Love of God, He who enters into an holy and reverent attitude of praise and worship despite the mountain of chores and tasks one must attend to later that day ...
Will rest in God.
He who does this will experience fullness of joy. Peace that transcends all understanding. A renewed sense of purpose. Wisdom for what to do, discernment for how to do it. Readiness to share the gospel. Confidence in the place God has put you. Contentness and Gratefulness in today's manna. Resignation to 'work on yourself', to 'figure out the long term Will of God', to 'plan next year' but to Seek the Lord for today and know in peace that He will tend to the rest.
When you dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty, He will give you the strength to stand in this battle, but He will win your battles. He will give you the wisdom for what to say, but He will change people's hearts. He will give you a burden to pray for the lost, but He will draw them near to Himself by the conviction of His Holy Spirit.
When you dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty, He will unveil His daily will for you. Insecurity will have no place in your interaction with man. Confusion and Indecision will no longer paralyse you out of action. What terrifies the world will not terrify you. What people think and expect of you will not sway you.
When you dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty, fear will no longer grip you. You will walk with confidence that nothing will take you from this earth until you have fulfilled every last thing God has called you to fulfill. Equipped with the armour of God and under the authority of Jesus Christ, You will walk boldly amongst evil binding evil and loosing the Kingdom of God upon your world.
When you dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty, you will rest. Anxiety will no longer course through your veins as you rush about your days activity. You will no longer feel the need to control yourself, your situation, others around you. When you dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty, you dwell in the fact that He is the great Orchastrator of life working all things together for your good, He is determining your steps and He will give you all that you need in every situation to do that which He has called you to do. Nothing else matters, anyway.
You will be watched over by angels, rescued, protected, comfoted and delivered by God Almighty in the exact length of time He purposed for you to live on this earth. He will continue to unveil His salvation unto those who abides in Him. What joy! What confidence! What peace.
BUT.
This rest is a predecessor to dwelling in the shadow of the Almighty. None of this fruit can be attained by simply flicking through the Word at night and praying in the car while battling through traffic.
No, this rest can only be experienced as one devotes 110% of their hearts, mind and soul to meditating in prayer - watching, waiting, listening for the Shadow of the Almighty to unveil Himself to the heart. It takes time, it takes a disciplined quietening of the soul. This cannot be rushed, and it cannot be done with sin in our heart.
Of course, God in His mercy, grace and love will sustain His children even when we only offer Him the snippets of our lives, but we will be merely eating bland appetizers when there is a feast ready for us in the next room.
We must take the time to repent, emptying ourselves our so that we are poor in Spirit, mournful over the state of ourselves and filled with a ravenous hunger God. It is only here that God is able to respond to our hunger, fill us overflowing with His Spirit and such pure a heart, we will truly see God.
(Matthew 5.1-11 paraphrased)
He who abides in God's provision will truly rest in the Shadow of the Almighty.
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