– Secret Place Insights –
Dear One, due to illness, in the Unknown God essay, I spoke of spending less time thinking of the things of God, and of having had spent much less time in prayer and reading of God’s Word. The experience wasn’t new to me, because of circumstances it had happened several times since 1979.
During my first few years of sitting still with God (Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God…”), after having been absent from my quiet-time, I would go back to my desk believing that this time God would be displeased with me. I feared that He would remove His Presence from the quiet-time hours. I WAS WRONG! At such times, all but one, I always received what felt like a warm, welcome-home embrace. The one time that I did not, I learned I had to first repent and ask forgiveness from a certain person before returning to the quiet-time fellowship.
If you are unfamiliar with what such fellowship might be like…please see and follow some of the suggestions in Making God A Priority or Going Deeper. Of course, one must be sincere in his or her desire to know God. And the effort requires obedience, not perfection, for only God is perfect, but certainly it requires a genuine effort. Be patient with yourself, for God is patient, but not too patient, for nothing in life is more important than a relationship with God, and a life lived in response to His love.
So after having not been well, when I closed the door behind me, and sat down at my desk, I did so in expectation of God’s Holy Presence. And it was so; the joy of the reunion was immense. Finally, after having basked in the pleasure of sweet thoughts of our wondrous God, I began to sing, yes I sing poorly, but let’s just forget that part:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy Holy Father, Holy.
Holy, Holy, Holy Holy, Holy Jesus, Holy.
Holy, Holy, Holy Holy, Holy Spirit, Holy.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy Holy Father, Holy.
Holy, Holy, Holy Holy, Holy Son, Holy.
Holy, Holy, Holy Holy, Holy Spirit,
Three in One, Holy.
During the singing, my heart swelled with awe, and I envisioned angels in Heaven singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” And I felt like I could sit there in God’s Presence forever, and ever. It was then, I thought of those who I had heard say, “If Heaven is going to be spent standing around singing Holy, Holy, Holy,” to God, I don’t think I’m going to like it.” And I thought, this is something no one could be bored with, but until it happens one would certainly think that he would be. Once again, it is proof that we do not know what we do not know until we know what we did not know. When I left the room, I could not remember ever having had such a magnificent, welcome-back embrace.
Recently I met with a person who asked the same question I have heard throughout years of discipleship. “Why is the quiet-time experience such a secret?” It is a secret because few, including some pastors, take the time to sit alone with God for the pleasure of being alone with Him. Jesus often went off to be alone with God, that was His example to us. And those who do not do it, until they fall under conviction, do not want to hear from those who do. So, it remains a Heavenly Delight for only a few. What is so sad about this is – that God waits for each and every one of us to come and be with Him. He is waiting now. Statistics reveal that the number who do enjoy such a time alone with God is about eight Christians out of one-hundred. Sadly, I was a Christian for 18 years before I stumbled on to the spiritual, life-giving discipline. What a loss of what could have been very valuable years.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a
solitary place where He prayed.” Mark 1:35
Blessings,
Susanne
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