The Secret Place

​¹ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.” Psalms 91:1-2

Almost eleven years ago a very dear friend told me to study Psalms 91, and to pray it over myself daily. At the time I dug into it and prayed for this deep understanding of the whole chapter. There has always been this part that stuck out to me and that was the secret place.

“Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence, from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion (shelter) From the strife of tongues.” Ps 31:19-20

King David went through a lot of strife in his life. His father and brothers didn’t seem to value him much until the Lord has him anointed as King. He has these moments where he ministers to King Saul through music and times when he’s on the run from the King. Finally he sits on the throne and his son rises up against him and then a second son tries to take the throne before Solomon can be placed upon it.

Despite David’s battles on both a physical, spiritual and mental level, the one thing he understood was running to the Lord and letting the Lord be your resting place.

After Israel was scattered among the nations the prophet Ezekiel said this:

¹⁶ Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.” ’ Ezekiel 11:16

They didn’t have a tabernacle or a temple made by hands so where did they go and sanctuary with the Lord?

You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah Psalms 32:7

From the beginning it was not about a Tabernacle made by hands, it was about God wanting to dwell among and WiTHIN His people. He wanted us to individually and corporately make Him a Temple in our hearts, a place where we met privately, face to face and built a relationship with Him, a place of safety and growth.

Within the Tabernacle and Temple stood the Menorah that was attended to daily because it was to be kept burning day and night. This lamps signifies the light that God is using to guide His people into the truth. How can we go forward to be a light to the nations if we don’t first learn how to be Priests and minister to God within the Tabernacle of our hearts, and learn to truly Tabernacle with Him?

Learning to abide under the shelter of the Almighty is an important step in really learning to serve the Lord. This week, begin to think of your heart as God’s Temple, and ask yourself how you want that Temple to look for God. Something He put on my heart one day is why do I always look up towards Heaven when I am praying? He told me I am right in the room with you, I am right there living inside your heart within you. He wanted me to grasp that.

Make a Temple for Him in your heart, and learn to abide there with Him.