February 27, Morning
C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling
"Thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation." — Psalm 91:9 · KJV
The Israelites in the wilderness were continually exposed to change. Whenever the pillar stopped, the tents were pitched; but the next day, before the morning sun had risen, the trumpet sounded, the ark was in motion, and the fiery, cloudy pillar led the way through the narrow mountain passes, up the hillside, or along the arid waste. They had scarcely time to rest a little before they heard the call, "Away! this is not your rest; you must still journey onward toward Canaan." They were never long in one place; even wells and palm trees could not detain them. Yet they had an abiding home in their God: His cloudy pillar was their roof, and its flame by night their household fire. They had to go onward from place to place, continually changing, never having time to settle and say, "Now we are secure; here we shall dwell." "Yet," says Moses, "though we are always changing, Lord, You have been our dwelling-place throughout all generations." The Christian knows no change with regard to God. He may be rich today and poor tomorrow, sickly today and well tomorrow, happy today and distressed tomorrow — but there is no change in his relationship to God. If He loved me yesterday, He loves me today. My unmoving mansion of rest is my blessed Lord. Let prospects be blighted, hopes be blasted, joy be withered, let mildew destroy everything — I have lost nothing of what I have in God. He is "my strong habitation, whereunto I can continually resort." I am a pilgrim in the world, but at home in my God. On the earth I wander, but in God I dwell in a quiet home.