The Secret Place

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Psalm 91:1 This is a favorite psalm for many believers. Psalm 91 promises protection for those who abide in the secret place of the Lord. But it's speaking only of those who know the Lord intimately, because those whose trust is wholly in the Lord will run to him FIRST in any trial, in any threat, in any fear that may come upon them, and there in the secret place of the Most High they will find refuge. The reason this is called the secret place, is that only those who truly know the Lord and belong to him, will know how to enter. A stranger will not even know about it, let alone enter it. Jesus was speaking of this place of refuge when he said: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not!" Matthew 23:7 All are invited to this secret place, but few find it. The disciples asked Jesus if many would be saved. Listen to his answer and look at it closely; it's a hard truth, one that should make one tremble, it's the MANY versus the FEW: "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are MANY who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are FEW who find it." Matthew 7:13-14 The one who will find it will find in the Lord that secret place where he may hide from danger, the secret place that will be a refuge for him because he will learn to place all his trust in the Lord. Nothing can touch him without going through his Lord's hand. The Lord said the way is difficult, but those who abide in him will never go through anything alone, the very presence of the Lord God will be with them in every circumstance in life. They will find comfort there, they will receive direction there. "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in him I will trust.'” Psalm 91:2 Those who find him will trust him because they know him. Once they have EXPERIENCED the presence of the Lord and his care for them, their trust will become firmly established in him. vs 4: "He shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you shall take refuge;" People who don't want to take the Word of God literally miss out on many of the precious truths revealed only in that secret place. What are those "feathers?" In the Temple, the mercy seat sits in the innermost chamber called the Holy of Holies, deep into the Temple where only the high priest may enter. The ark of the covenant is in there, which is a chest containing the ten commandments. But on top of that chest sits the mercy seat, the mercy one finds in the Lord. In the Holy Place in the Temple, there was placed above the mercy seat two angels made of gold, one on each side of the chest, their wings, or their feathers, covering over the mercy seat and touching each other. This is a picture of the secret place, the place of mercy, under the shadow of the wings. There was a huge veil at the door of that innermost chamber, preventing anyone but the high priest from entering. But when Jesus was crucified, that veil was torn in two, signifying that those covered with the Blood of Jesus may now enter that inner chamber, that holy place, and have direct access to God himself, and from that day on this redeemed person will abide in the secret place of the Most High, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty. Many are called, but few accept that call. For those who do, all the provision of God becomes theirs as they are invited into the secret place of the Lord, to abide there with him, in his presence, forever.