OUR DWELLING PLACE

My early morning walk this Good Friday brought me in the company of a multitude of pilgrims who walked the stations of the cross, a religious tradition, in this predominantly Catholic country. As a non- catholic Christian  I understand the spiritual significance of this practice as an opportunity for prayer, and meditation following the path of Christ’s passion, reflecting on the suffering and death of our Lord on the cross.

I have been a  practitioner of prayer walking for years, albeit,  on and off, and I felt  I was in good company this morning.    

The thought came to mind, that we are all pilgrims on this earth, traveling, walking, to our dwelling place. But there are others who seem to walk aimlessly not knowing where. As our earthly bodies often take shelter in the dwelling place we call our homes, our inward life, our souls, need to find rest in a dwelling place, far greater than the comfort, joy and peace which our earthly homes could provide. The Lord declares that He has been our dwelling place in all generations(Psalm 90:1).

Maybe some of us are wandering aimlessly,  in the spiritual desert of dryness and hunger. Our souls faint, longing for a place of comfort and rest. And yet  perhaps we  haven’t realized that  all the while God is our dwelling place.  With outstretched  arms He calls “Come home to me and find rest for your soul. “  He is our refuge, our fortress, our high tower.

But some refuse to come. God through the prophet Isaiah said, “All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people. But they follow their own evil paths and their own crooked schemes.” (Isaiah 65:2)

We pilgrims need  to come home and take residence in Him. He has been our dwelling place.

God only is the creature’s home;

Though rough and straight the road,

Yet nothing else can satisfy

The soul that long’s for God.

God Bless you my friends.