Journey to the Secret Place

As a child, I spent many summers at my grandparents’ house in the country. In the little room where I would sleep, there was a portrait on the wall. It was a very traditional depiction of Jesus with long, brown hair, dressed in multilayered, white robes. He was standing at an arched, wooden door with his arm outstretched, poised to knock on the door. I loved this picture even though I did not know the scripture it was based on or its meaning. I guess I loved it because Jesus looked so beautiful and so kind and He was knocking at the door, our door, I thought. As a child, I was also afraid of the dark and fearful of windows at night. This picture of Jesus made me feel safe. The scripture this picture is based on is:

† Revelation 3:20 (NIV) †

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

My impression of the picture certainly was childlike but it was also very correct. God wants us to be in a close relationship with Him; He pursues us; He comes knocking at our door; all we have to do is open the door and let Him into our hearts. Looking back, I really believe God was putting a call on my life when I was just a child.

In 1973, I answered that call when I finally realized I needed to let Jesus into my life. It was my senior year of high school, and I agreed to go on a date with a new boy who just came to my school. He had just given his heart to Jesus and was excited to invite me to his church. Not long after that, I too gave my life to Jesus, and my life started changing

for the good. We continued to date and got married in 1976. I’ve been serving God with my husband ever since. Now don’t get me wrong. Everything was not all perfect through the years; however, God has been with us through all the ups and downs. Here I am at sixty-four years of age and God is challenging me to make changes that will help me learn even more about His ways.

I was talking with a friend in February 2017 about the present times we are living in. We both were feeling that God is getting ready to bring a move of His spirit like never before. We also were feeling that God was calling us to serve His kingdom in a very different way from how we had ever served before. As we finished our conversation, my friend said, “I guess we will have to really be pressing into the secret place.” That statement pierced my heart. I knew what is meant by the secret place and I’ve been there, done that, but not lately. What was the spirit of God trying to say to me? Are you praying daily? Yes! Are you reading the Word daily? Yes! Are you trusting in God daily? Yes! Are you daily seeking God in the secret place? No! Boy that question hit me hard. I had always thought of seeking God in the secret place when I needed something big like a tough decision, a sick loved one, a desperate time of need, a time of repentance, or a time when I was seeking to be closer to God. I did not see it as a daily event. I missed the whole “dwelling” in the secret place idea for sure, and I’ve missed it for years! Now God was putting one thing after another in my path, calling me to seek Him daily in a new way. I was excited that this newfound understanding was coming together just for me!