Where are you Dwelling? 

COVID-9 has caused us to be paralyzed with fear. 

It has robbed us of life, joy, freedom and we have been willing participants. 

Merriam-Webster defines the word Dwell as:

- To remain for a time; to live as a resident; exist; lie

David wrote in Psalm 4 "In peace I will lie down & sleep, for you alone, God, make me DWELL in safety." In and of itself, that verse alone can provide some comfort. When taken in the context and understanding of when it was written, that verse takes on a much bigger meaning. 

While David was writing this, he was hiding in a cave doing all he could to avoid King Saul and the henchmen that were looking to kill him. The noose was getting tighter; the traps were being set and Saul's desire to kill him was burning white-hot. You would think that through all of this, David would have been dealing with gut-wrenching anxiety and fear of the unknown.

He was stuck in place, his freedom to roam was gone and he was separated from those closest to him. Sound familiar? 

But in this situation, David knew that he knew that he knew that God - and only God - was where he could DWELL in peace. It was only in the presence of The Almighty that he could rest with no fear. 

There is still so much that is unknown about this COVID-19 virus.

Has it hit its peak?

Does a mask keep me safe?

Should I stay inside?

What if I need to run to the store?

What about my job?

Do we have enough money to last a few more days or weeks or months? 

Will it come back in the fall? 

In Proverbs, Solomon wrote "But whoever listens to me will DWELL safely and will be secure without fear of evil."

We have spent almost two months dwelling in a place of fear. 

Our world today is like nothing any of us has seen in our lifetime. There is chaos and unrest around every corner; on every TV channel. We can't escape it. But through it all, as believers, we can choose to DWELL in peace, rest and safety because our peace and rest and safety is not dependent on our situations or our circumstance. It is not dependent on a mask or an imposed governmental order to "shelter in place." 

I'm not disparaging those that choose this path. There are definite reasons to do this if you are in a high risk or predisposed condition to be a target for the virus. But that percentage of people is small. 

Our peace as believers - our rest and safety - is not dependent on us having all the answers. It is simply dependent on our choice to lean on God and to DWELL in His presence. 

In Psalm 46:2, the Psalmist wrote "therefore, we SHALL NOT FEAR. Though the earth give way and the mountains fall in the sea..."

And what allowed him to say that? 

Psalm 46:1 - "God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble." 

Stand tall today believer. Choose to walk in faith. Trust in His goodness.

And then...DWELL in his safety. 

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