Showing posts with label secret place. Show all posts
Showing posts with label secret place. Show all posts

More than Adequate Protection

There have been many times in my life when I have turned to Psalm 27; it just has it all. David talks about trusting the Lord in a very intimate way even through some very tough situations. The psalmist is honest about his feelings and speaks of dread and fear. As he usually does, David reminds himself of Who God had been in his life and asks God to "not abandon or forsake" him. He also takes the time to ask God to teach him, lead him and protect him.

One of the verses that sticks out to me today particularly is verse 5. Here David says: in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me... Not just any day - but the day of trouble - God will hide us. And not hide us just anywhere - He hides us in His tabernacle; and in the secret place of His tent. To me this speaks of intimacy. God doesn't just drop us in a cave somewhere and put His hand over the entrance so the enemy can't find us. Even though that would provide adequate protection, He hides us in His secret place. He hides us in His heart - where life cannot touch us or destroy us.

Perhaps with this intimacy in mind David penned the final verse to this psalm. The first 13 verses seem to be written in  third person. David is speaking about his own personal experience. He's crying out for the Lord to hear him, rejoicing in the Lord's victory and asking God to teach him, lead him, and protect him. But in the final verse it's as if he turns to address the rest of the world and he gives more of a command. Maybe he had no idea of the multitude who would read this passage and find hope when he addresses the reader directly by saying:

Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.

He changes from first and third person to second person and reminds us all to wait for the Lord. The old King James Version translated it this way: Wait on the Lord; be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart. "Let your heart take courage" and "He will strengthen your heart" both indicate to me that we must yield to Him and wait for Him and allow Him to strengthen us and encourage us.  Waiting on Him means we let Him do the work while we rest in His faithfulness.

Today I will meditate on His faithfulness and His protection. I will purposefully move out of the way and allow Him to provide intimate protection. I will trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?

Two Unchangeables

Psalm 15 is a short psalm but it is powerful when we can get ahold of it. David begins with a question in verse 1 and then the other 4 verses are his answer. His question is Who can abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? Then he lists the qualifications.


There are several but we'll only talk about the first one today. David said that those who walk with integrity can dwell in God's tent. Let's add to this thought another Psalm David wrote. In Psalm 101:2 he made a commitment to walk within my own house in the integrity of my heart. If there was any place we don't have to put up appearances it is certainly inside our four private walls! But David said decided that he would have integrity with God - whether anyone was around to watch or not!

There are many things that change around us all the time. Many of us became caregivers because of one incident that happened suddenly. In one moment our worlds changed. But two things did not change just because the world around us changed. One - God still requires integrity of heart. And two, we can still dwell in His holy hill!

He did not put any stipulations about our surroundings or circumstances that could disqualify us from ascending to His holy hill. We are still afforded the privilege of dwelling in the secret place of the Most High! But we are also still held accountable to His standards. He didn't make a separate set of 10 commandments for those who live in less than perfect situations! We, as believers, are still held to the behavior code of all other Bible believing Christians! And we still have all of His benefits and blessings available to us today!

Ephesians 1:3 is still true today He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ. Isn't it good to know that He has not changed His mind about our salvation, provision or sustenance? He's still God today - and He will still be God tomorrow.


The Stare

  Do you ever just find yourself sitting and staring at the wall? It doesn't really happen too often because, quite frankly, who has tim...