God’s Place and Our Place in Him (By Elizabeth Kroeker)

What I want to share is how encouraging it is to remember God’s place and our place in Him. In prayer today I heard many references to the word place.  As I continued to reflect on the many aspects of place and looked to Scripture, I discovered there are 792 references to the word “place” in the NIV version of the Bible. 
God dwells in unapproachable light and put every star in place, stretching the heavens like a tent.  Yet our magnificent, most glorious Creator also dwells with us.
Isaiah 57:15:  For this is what the high and exalted One says--
    he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
    but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Psalm 90: 1-2
A prayer of Moses the man of God.
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
    throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
    or you brought forth the whole world,
    from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
In the Old Testament there are numerous references to the temple with the Most Holy Place but God’s presence was never confined physically or spiritually. Moses was on sacred ground when God spoke to him from the burning bush and David exalted God as His place of refuge as expressed in Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
The prophets pointed to a time when the Holy Spirit would be poured out and God would make His dwelling within those who believe. 
Ezekiel 37:26-27  26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Acts 7:48-51 However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men.  As the prophet says:  ‘Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool.  What kind of house will you build for me?  Says the Lord, or where will my resting place be?  Has not my hand made all these things?’
1 Corinthians 3:16 New International Version (NIV)16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
Jesus promised that He is preparing a place for us to be with Him forever in glory.  So, while we have to stay in place for the Covid-19 pandemic, God is with us and spiritually we are also seated with Him in the heavenly realms and look forward to a future place more glorious than we can possibly imagine. 
That is our true place and this brings me to: penitence as I ponder His purity, to praise Him for His love, power, presence, protection, good purposes and sure promises, and to a desire to proclaim His glory and share the Gospel.