God's Secret Place (darkness)

As we each face many difficulties throughout our life, our mind is overloaded with a sense of doubt and fear. Whether it is the fear of a person, the fear of darkness, the fear of the unknown or the fear of death, it is important to remember that we are not powerless, and we are not alone. God (the source of strength) has promised to always be with us. It says in the book of Hebrews 13:5, "…I (God) will never leave thee, nor forsake thee". Verse 6 continues to say; "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me".

Fear is like a cloud of darkness hovering over our head. It often leaves us feeling empty. It is the absences of love, and the product of worldly pressures and uncertain circumstances. Fear is not an attribute that comes from God. It is written in 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind". This is why we must not allow our thoughts to be shaped and molded by the influences of this world, instead, this world should be influenced by us (believers), as Jesus Christ (the Light" of the world), fully reigns in our life. As we remain close to Him, His bright light reflects through us into this dark world, and by it He directs the lost unto Himself.

Throughout scripture we see that God is in darkness, but darkness is not in God. For this reason, we as Christian should not be afraid to draw near to where He is. For example, the Bible says in Exodus 20:21 "And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was". Also Psalms 18:11 says, "He made darkness His secret place; His pavilion (cover) round about Him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies". David understood this truth. That is why he was able to boldly say in Psalms 23:4 "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me". It is only through Christ that we are victorious. He is the secret key that enables us to prevail through every challenge that we face during these perilous times.

Psalms 91:1 tells us how it’s done, it says; "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty".

The word "dwells" in Hebrew is yâshab (yaw-shab), which means, "sit down, remain" as in continuing to wait in quietness. It is God’s guidance and deliverance that we are trusting (not just hoping) will manifest.

The "secret place", refers to a protective covering. It is a place that most of us would rather avoid, because of it's dark and frightening description. Evil doers think that they can hide their wicket deeds in the dark, but, nothing can be hidden from God. He knows everything that goes on in the light and in the dark, and is able to reveal it all.

The bible describes two types of individuals that are in darkness. Those who walk in the ways of darkness and those who sit (or sat) in darkness.

The ones, who walk in the ways darkness, are those who are corrupt. They attempt to create their own way, to peace with God, but they only are leading themselves misery; Psalms 82:5 says; "They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness…"

The ones, who sit in darkness, are those who understand their need for a deliverer. Note: This is not just sitting down doing nothing, but it is an active effort to reside in God and seek His guidance. Luke 1:79 says, "To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace".

The phrase "shall abide" means to "permanently stop or stay ". This is what happens once Christ has become our place of residency; we abide in Him.

"Under the shadow" literally means, "under the protection and defense of". If God could cast a shadow, then we know (since He is evenly present everywhere) that His shadow would most likely be directly under His feet. Therefore, in order to abide under the shadow of the Almighty, we must remain at His feet at all times. Let us make our lives a genuine picture of trust, as we remember that we are not alone, for we have made ourselves at home, under the refuge of God’s protective wings.

The next time that you feel down and out, think about this: Where was Jesus when His disciples (in a small boat) where caught in the middle of a large storm? The answer is this: He was in the boat, in the storm with His disciples. If you are a Christian, then the same is true in your life. JESUS, is with you, right now, in your trial.

Kenneth Gregory