Dwelling With God

     16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another
     with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with
     gratitude in your hearts.
     Colossians 3:16

As we journey through Lent, let us praise God together through sharing psalms, hymns and songs.

No matter the season of our life, letting Christ’s good news “dwell” among us brings joy, comfort and peace.

In this long, long wilderness moment of COVID-19, we have lost much, but we have not been alone. Just as Jesus was tested in the wastelands, we have been tested and now as we walk through these forty days of reflection, we can find the comfort of the Spirit attending to our needs. It may take time for you to see where angels have stepped in. It may seem impossible to see the fingerprints of God on your life right at this moment, but He has been walking beside you through this season.

We have His promise:

     6Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your
     God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
     Deuteronomy 31:6
 
What Paul is telling us, through his letter to the Colossian church, is that when we “dwell” with Jesus and allow Him fully into our lives, we live more fully and grow in wisdom. How do we grow in wisdom? By the very Word of God. When we go to the book of Psalms, we find strength and a promise that we will find the right path and learn to walk in righteousness.

     105Your word is a lamp for my feet,
     a light on my path.
     Psalms 119:105

And as we meditate on these words, something moves inside of us. A hymn or praise song may raise up in your heart as you “dwell” in scripture. Amazing things begin to happen when we take time to be with our Lord. Songs of praise begin to flow from us, and joy begins to take shape in our hearts.

In this season of Lent let us open our Bibles and let the Spirit whisper songs of great praise into the depths of our hearts. Let gratitude flood your soul even in the wastelands of this moment.

A moment of prayer for Lent:

Father I come before You now. I deeply desire to dwell with You.

Oh, Lord, my God, I am facing this season with so many concerns, losses and failures, yet I trust in Your promise to be beside me in this wilderness moment. As I lean more into You, Lord, fill me with Your peace and prepare my heart for the season to come.

Thank You, Spirit of the Living God for the strength that has gotten me to this point. Live fresh in me.

Lord I lift up this prayer from Psalms to You:

     14May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
     be pleasing in your sight,
     Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
     Psalms 19:14

Amen.
 
Kathy Hendrix