– Scripture:
You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: “God, you’re my refuge.
I trust in you and I’m safe!” That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you under them you’re perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you.
You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God’s your refuge,
the High God your very own home, Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door. He ordered his angels
to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they’ll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.
Psalm 91:1–13 MSG
– Reflection:
The Secret Place
Yesterday, my son and I went to church. I volunteer as a camera operator from time to time, and this time one of my good friends was preaching – Olan Carder. He was talking about having a secret place in which to dwell all the time and walk with GOD. I remember when I had something tough ahead of me, like a workout that would last a few hours or more. I would go to my “happy place.” This seemed very similar to the secret place Olan was speaking about. I have used this analogy with kids I have coached over the years and even with my sons. Some of them understand and are able to move through the workout with ease, while others struggle to shift their mindsets away from the current struggle. I linked Olan’s message about dwelling in the secret place to something similar to that “happy place.” When I go there – because I still use it – I feel just like Psalm 91 says: while dwelling there and walking my path with GOD, nothing can touch or harm me.
Where do we go from here?
Having a mindset that allows you to connect with God and spend time with Him may seem easy, but it’s not. You have to want to do this, and nothing about Christianity comes easy. Dwelling in God’s presence, even for a moment, is tough, but with practice, I believe we can all achieve that goal. Even when your day is going well, you should take time to be alone with God, minister to yourself, and allow the Spirit to renew you. I’ve experienced feeling a lot better after doing this, and I believe you will too. For those of you who were present yesterday, please listen to Pastor Olan’s message. I hope I didn’t misinterpret it too much. Have a great start to your week.
Our Prayer for Today
“Father, thank you for meeting us right where we are, even in our secret place. It is a blessing to know that walking with you gives us clarity to use all day long. We know nothing in life is ever easy and that everything requires work, especially leading others. That’s why it’s great to be able to spend a few minutes with you each day. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.”