Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. (ESV)
Normally, I read that, and think of God being eternal, and all knowing, and the like. Today, I started thinking of how God was there for my family this generation, and the past one, and the one before that, and so on. And I wonder how I stack up compared to my God-fearing generations before.
I think to my Grandfather Frizzell, he was a hard working, good man. Used to do collection work, back when that was done going to a person's door, rather than over the phone (aka-my job!). At his funeral, there were people there that no one in the family recognised. We found that there were times when a family was having difficulty, he'd help them out. Never told anyone, just did it.
My Dad, I could give all kinds of examples, but the one that always stayed in the forefront was when I was 19 or 20. I was at the salvage yard, getting a carburetor for my very mix and match car. I realised I had left my check book at home, and would need to go back for it. Offering to leave the carburetor and come back, the owner said "That's OK, I know your dad, you're good for it." I remember thinking "Wow. My dad's reputation is so good, it extends to me without even having to earn it!"
I see all of this, in my family history, and sometimes think "I don't even come close to being so generous, so honest, so, well, good." If not for Christ, I could claim no goodness at all, and my being in Him is not because of anything of my doing, but all because of His compassion.
That's where this verse hit me today. "our dwelling place for all generations." In thinking back, I know there must have been times when my dad felt right at the point of losing it, or maybe even did, but his dwelling place was Christ, and that was so much more than himself, that became who he was. Same with my grandfather. And thank God, same with myself. Not myself, but He who is in me who is greater, and truer, and purer that I could ever be.
Now there are generations in front of me. Generations that are being raised in God-fearing homes, and already in their young lives have Christ in their hearts. Who will grow up and say, "I can never live up to who my parents were". But they have made God their dwelling place as well, just as those before them.
So I look to that dwelling place, and see my Grandfather, my Father, my Brother, Sister and I, my Nephews and Nieces, their children as well, and so many others in our family. And I thank God, and take comfort, that He is our dwelling place.
