“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the sacred home of the Most High. God himself lives in that city; it cannot be destroyed or shaken. God will protect it at the break of day.”

Genesis 46:4-5

I like that, this passage states God’s dwelling place. The place He protects, makes glad, and calls home. It reminds me of another passage in Scripture that talks about God’s home. In Ancient Israel the Temple was constructed as the place of residence for worship and ministry unto God. The Glory of God would fall and rest in the most Holy place of the temple, and He would dwell there in the midst of the city of David.

1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ”

God makes His home in you upon Salvation. It’s the place He protects, makes glad, the place he enjoys dwelling in.

“I don’t feel glad.” you say.

“I don’t feel protected”, you say.

“I don’t feel close to God”, you say.

Understand it’s not the city that makes the gladness happen. It’s not the house that makes the home. Sure you might be able to make yourself happy for a bit, but your lasting Satisfaction, your gladness isn’t drummed up on your own strength. It’s brought by the river that flows through the city of your heart.

What river?

John 7:37-38 “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If any one thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Throughout the bible the Word of God is often described as the living water (Eph 5:26). It’s important we stay in the word, because as we draw near to God, he will draw near to us (James 4:8). The depth that we dive into the water of God’s word is the same proportion we are immersed by Gods presence in our hearts and lives.

I love diving into a pool on a hot summer day. I take a good jump, gather a bunch of spring off the diving board and as gracefully as I can find my way to the water. There’s nothing like the first dive of the summer season, on those scorching hot days it’s nice to be able to find refreshment. In the same way we dive into the pool and come up to exhale a breath of refreshment, we can find ourselves breathing a sigh of refreshment spiritually on those hot days of life where the gladness seems lost, we feel unprotected and shaken up, and it seems as though life is burning you.

Jesus is described as the Word made flesh (John 1:14) Jesus dwells among us, He dwells inside us, and if we believe (John 7:38) He is the river whose streams make glad the city of your heart.