HIDING PLACES

In the shadows of a privet hedge at my grandmother’s home was the ideal hiding place when I was a child. I could look and see what was happening, but not be seen. I could pretend I was an observer of things and not a participant. It was a secret place to a child. A place of imagined safety and security.

GOD’S SECRET PLACE

In Psalms 91:1, God tells us He provides a ‘secret place’ in which to dwell. This is not a temporary escape from trouble or worry, but intended as a permanent place to abide. He offers peace and comfort in this place. If we are not dwelling in the secret place, we are faced with the worry and stress of this world.

RESIDE

In addition to live and reside, dwell in this context  means to remain. I live in my house, but I do not always remain in my house. Up until the last 3 years, I lived in the same house all of my life. I grew up in that house, and when I married, my husband and I moved there. We resided in that house, but we did not always remain in that house. God wants us to live, abide, inhabit and remain in the secret place. It is a place of permanent residence. We never have to leave.

REST

The Greek word for abide is secure, peaceful rest of one living close to the Lord. We are not at peace when we are out of the secret place because we are restless and uncertain of the path to take in our lives. The shadow in this verse is a symbol of protection or refuge. God offers us a place to remain in peaceful rest because of His protection over us.

ABIDE

In the New Testament, the Greek word for dwell is translated abide in John 15:7.  Jesus said, “If you abide (live, reside, remain) in Me, and my words in you, you will ask what you desire and it will be done for you”. God’s idea for our dwelling with Him is permanent.

PERMANENT

The secret place is a place I would like to reside permanently. To live in rest, peace and protection by the Lord. Who wouldn’t want to live in the secret place of the Almighty? The next question would be how do I get there? How do I find this secret place and how do I remain there?

First, you must know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. The Bible tells us that we all have sinned.

Romans 5:8, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 10:9, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

REMAIN

Second, to remain in the secret place, we must spend time with Him in prayer and in the word. Get to know Him in a personal and meaningful way. The only way we can know someone is by spending time with them.

Keep your focus on Him in your daily walk. Be obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Love your neighbor as God commands.

Let’s not forget to ask. Ask God to guide you and keep you in the secret place.

Paula Wallace

 

You Are My Hiding Place  Selah

Further study on Abiding, Dwelling places