We are told in Matthew chapter 5, verse 1 that: ‘When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.’
In this particular verse the bible does not say that when Jesus saw the crowds, He sat down in the midst of them, or that He healed or counselled them. There are occasions when He did those things, but this time before meeting the hordes of people, He went up to the mountainside. He removed himself from them. Before ministering to the crowds, He drew strength from the Father. Have you learned to do that yet?
Before getting caught up in the busyness of your day, always make time for your Secret Place. This is where you draw from the ‘eternal well’ that never runs dry. This is the place where you gain stability in an unstable world; the place where you leave the frantic pace of everyday life behind and gain a perspective that only comes from being in the presence of the almighty God. In the Secret place, you gain the reassurance that God is with you and that there is nothing you will face today that He hasn’t already handled.
It is easy to recognise people who prioritise their Secret Place. Their struggles are no different from yours. Indeed, their problems may be more challenging. But they have an inner peace that is never derailed or affected by the inevitable pressures and frustrations of day to day living.
Jesus Himself invites us, saying: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).
Today, take ‘time out’ and make space for your own Secret Place where you lay the world and it’s pressures aside and bask in God’s presence. If you do, you will come out different!
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