"Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations." (Psalm 90:1)
What the Lord always has been, He is still, for He changes not. Because He changes not, we are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6)
If the Lord should change, should cast us out, and cease to be our dwelling place, we should cease to be; for only "in Him we live, and move, and have our being." (Acts 17:28)
But, "The Lord will not cast off for ever." (Lamentations 3:31)
Even though He chasten us, and cause grief, "Yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies." (Lamentations 3:32)
His chastenings are in tender love, being only the washing and cleansing of the wounds that sin has made. He will not cast off, and no one can pluck us out of His bosom--our dwelling place.
We may, like prodigal sons, attempt to shake off home restraints, and chose to live independently, but we cannot succeed; for even the portion which we call our own, and which we squander, is His provision for us, and wander where we will, we are never out of the grasp of His loving, sustaining hand.
What a blessed, joyful assurance that He is "not far from every one of us!" (Acts 17:27)
Though we fly to the ends of the earth, or go into its depths, His salvation is near, for "all the ends of the earth," (Psalm 98:3) are called on to behold the salvation of our God. He saves with His right hand and His mighty, outstretched arm--the arm that encircles the universe. Then how easy it is always to find salvation! "Surely His salvation is near them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land." (Psalm 85:9)
No matter how far we have wandered away, at no time need it take a minute to find ourselves safe in the sheltering bosom of the Father. Although no soul on earth is out of His hand, that is not our dwelling place. The soul can never find rest and peace while so far separated from God as to be merely in His hand.
It is in Him that we find peace in absolute union with Him, our whole soul, body, and spirit swallowed up in His. "In returning and rest shall you be saved." (Isaiah 30:15)
When our will is wholly lost in His, and we find our delight solely in Him, then shall the promise be fulfilled: "My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places." (Isaiah 32:18)--Present Truth, September 5, 1901--Psalm 90:1.