The Secret Place
The Secret Place
Psalm 91:1.
In our world today, peace and security are two entities that every individual and nation desires. People and governments spend substantial resources on acquiring state-of-the-art technology to secure their lives and treasures. Ironically, the challenges always seem to overpower our efforts.
In our text, David speaks of a place where a believer can find peace, security, and ultimate rest. He calls it the secret place. The secret place is where human effort meets with supernatural enablement, a place where divinity aids humanity. This is no other place than the place of personal fellowship with God, a place of consistent devotion and residence in the presence of God. The secrecy of this place lies in the fact that it must be away from other men and the distractions of life- Matthew 6:6; Mark 1:35; 6:46.
There are many wrong notions and myths about the realities of the place of prayer in today’s sophisticated world. One of them is that we bring human dominance into the place of prayer. This is unacceptable and equivocally restrains the presence of God from our altar of prayer. In the Psalm of David in our text, he portends “a man that dwells”. This translates to the only responsibility expected of a willing participant in fellowshipping with God, that is to “dwell”. Any individual who wants to obtain citizenship of any nation of the world would be willing to abide by every rule governing that nation. So also, God is the ruler and sovereign entity in the secret place. Therefore, we come to the place of prayer with intentional neglect of our domineering human nature, and completely submit to the Lord in the place of prayer- Isaiah 57:15. Our needs and demands are not top priority in the place of prayer. Rather, knowing the Lord and His will in the matter of our heart in that place- Psalm 123:2.
Meditation.
1 There’s a place I love to tarry,
When my soul is sad, oppressed,
‘Tis alone with Christ my Saviour,
Where He bids me “Come and rest.”
Refrain:
Just to be alone with Jesus,
Just to hear Him softly say:
“Fear not, though the world forsake you,
Lo I’m with you alway.”
2 When the cares of life are heavy,
And beneath my cross I bend;
Then I go alone with Jesus,
For He is my dearest Friend. [Refrain]
3 When the tempter would assail me,
Jesus bids me to Him flee;
He’s my Refuge, Friend and Saviour,
He is all in all to me. [Refrain]
