God's Secret Place

God is not a respecter of persons, but He is a respecter of our relationship with Him. By that I mean the degree of fellowship we enjoy with Him is greatly influenced by our relationship with Him. Those who are passionate toward God tend to experience intimate fellowship with Him, while those who place little value on their relationship with God do not know fellowship with God on the same level. The Bible talks about the person “that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High” (Psalm 91:1, KJV). This is a special place where all Christians should want to live, as we shall see.

There are several places in the Bible that give us clues as to the significance of God’s secret place. First of all, as to whom He reveals His secret place, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him” (Psalm 25:14). Just as we do not share our secrets with everybody, so it is that not everyone inhabits the secret place of the most High. It is reserved for those who fear Him. This fear denotes our having a deep reverence for God.

Secondly, the Bible says, regarding those who trust God, “Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues” (Psalm 31:20, NIV). The message here is that God’s secret place is not some physical place; rather, it is a special place in the presence of God where those who trust and fear Him live and are divinely protected from all sources of harm and danger! In fact, Psalm 91, from which the first quote was taken, speaks in its entirety about God’s divine protection.

According to this psalm, trouble can be all around us, and still not come near our home. How can God make such a bold promise? Because He is God. To me, this promise is so important these days. Trouble is everywhere. It just seems to dominate the news on the local and national level. We can’t hide from trouble. No matter how safe we try to be, danger can find us. But when we are in the secret place of the most High, God gives His angels charge to keep us in all of our ways (Psalm 91:11)!

I just wonder how many times I have looked death in the face and didn’t even know it. How many battles has God fought for me that I was not aware of? The good news is that as long as we walk in the fear of the Lord, we are living in the secret place of the most High, and He will continue to protect us. That’s why we need not be troubled by the news of all the senseless murders in our country and the other forms of danger about us.

This does not mean we should place ourselves in harm’s way. We should do the things we can to keep ourselves safe. This also does not mean that our police force and those who give their lives to keep us safe are unnecessary. I thank God for their work. But what I am saying to you is that these provisions for our safety are not enough. Our ultimate trust for daily protection must be in God. Let us pray accordingly every day, and walk in confidence knowing that God has our back.