being identified with Christ to dwell in God and see the extension of our days

As Moses took God as his dwelling place, he realized that the span of his life on earth is short (see Psa. 90:3-11). We may live on earth for 70 or 80 years, and to God even 1000 years are “like yesterday when it passes by, and like a watch in the night” (see v. 4).

Our life on earth is short and “full of sins and afflictions” – if we have such a realization, we will take God as our dwelling place! We need to take God as our habitation that we may dwell in God, living in Him every minute of our life, and having all our being in God!

Teach us to number our days

Moses prayed, “Teach us then to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psa. 90:12). As he dwelt in God, he realized that he needs to have a heart of wisdom so that he may number his days and have a glad and rejoicing life (see v. 13-17). We may look back to the day of yesterday and feel not so happy about it, but we need to let God teach us to number our days.

As we dwell in God we are learning to have every aspect of our daily life in God so that every minute would matter in His eyes. Oh, to dwell in God had have God as our permanent and continual dwelling place!

Dwelling in God by dwelling in the secret place

In Psalm 91 we have many aspects of our identification with Christ – in this identification with Christ, we as the believers in Christ make God our habitation, dwelling in the secret place, and abiding under the shadow of His wings (Psa. 91:1-9).

This is how we dwell in God by being identified with Christ – we dwell in the secret place of our mingled spirit, and we hide under the shadow of God’s wings. We simply abide in the real oneness with God, and here God becomes us, we are constituted with God and we are one with Him. We simply live together as one – God and man, one life and one living.

Enjoying the identification with Christ

There are so many wonderful things that we enjoy when we are in this sweet identification with Christ! Psalm 91 speaks of Christ, the One who lived a life fully one with the Father and took God as His dwelling place. In identification with Christ, we also are under the keeping care of the angels, and we tread upon the enemy Satan (see Psa. 91:11-13 and Matt. 4:6). The way we defeat Satan, the serpent that poisons God’s people and the lion that devours God’s people is by being identified with Christ! In Christ we overcome the enemy and we tread upon his head.

We need to enjoy the sweet oneness with Christ – here we set our love upon God, we are set on high by God, and we see His salvation in the extension of our days (Psa. 91:14-16).

As we know, these verses are a prophecy concerning Christ – He has set His love upon the Father, He has been exalted by God to the highest of heavens, and He is now seeing God’s salvation in the extension of His days in resurrection! Christ can be the One who says, “I became dead, and behold, I am living forever and ever” (Rev. 1:18a). We are the extension of His days for the carrying out of His salvation!

All we have to do is remain in this wonderful organic union, in the identification with Christ. Praise God – He put us here, never to leave – oh, we’re abiding in the vine! In the identification with Christ we take God as our habitation.

Here, in this identification with Christ, we are one with Christ in His crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and in His taking God as His habitation. Our days on earth will be filled with purpose, filled with meaning, and they will be extended in much salvation! We want to see God’s salvation in the extension of our days!

Lord, keep us in this sweet and wonderful organic union with Christ! Thank You that it is of God that we are in Christ Jesus – keep us here, identified with Christ. We want to be one with Christ in His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Lord, make us one with You in Your taking God as Your dwelling place. We want to enjoy all the benefits and wonderful things derived from our being identified with Christ in His dwelling in God!

References and Further Reading

• Sharing inspired from the Life-study of the Psalms, msg. 35, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on the Crystallization-Study of Psalms (2), week 16;
• Hymns on this topic:
  # We found the secret of living! We’ve seen the vision divine! We are of God in Christ Jesus – we’re abiding, abiding in the vine!
  # By a touch of His dear love, / By the sound of His sweet voice, / Whispers from above, / Spoken through men of clay. / And this world just fades away.
  # I will not let Thee go, my Lord, / I will not let Thee go! / Confession glad on Thee outpoured, / Thine own dear heart to know. / My heart desires, my lips request / To be of use to Thee, / That in that day I’d share Your rest / Through serving faithfully.