Abide

 

One of my favorite words in scripture is, “Abide” ~ I also like its linguistic cousin, “Abode” meaning “home”.  Where do you abide, where is your home?  Psalm 15 talks about residing in God’s tent or presence or dwelling.  Our Jewish siblings talk about four levels of interpretation.  

The first level is the literal.  In Psalm 15, that would mean your home.  The roof over your head, the carpet under your feet, the walls that keep the rain outside and shade from the sun.  Your home is where God dwells ~ hold this interpretation ~ where do you encounter God in your home?

The second level is the hint or suggestion, go a bit deeper than the initial surface interpretation.  The word “Abide” or “Dwelling” here might mean wherever I go, God is there.  When I go to the store, God dwells there, probably in the ice cream aisle.  When I go to a friend’s house, that too is God’s house.  When I step in the doctor’s office God is there too. 

The third level is that of insight and the fourth level is that of mystery.  In the case of Psalm 15, to dwell with God can also mean to dwell in God and God to dwell in me.  There is a wonderful dance that I feel sometimes with the Divine where I am not sure where I end, and God begins.  We are intimately interwoven and interconnected.  Dwelling is a dance between you and God, God and others; others and you ~ which is the mystery of the Trinity. 

May you experience and encounter God’s abiding dance that puts a spark of life in your eyes and gives you deliverance/strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow.  Amen.