The Secret Place - Martin Wiles

As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Exodus 33:22 NLT

He was a master at making and discovering secret places. 

My maternal grandparents lived in an old farmhouse. My first cousin and his family lived a stone’s throw away. When I spent time visiting my cousin, we normally spent most of our time at our grandparent’s house. During one of my visits, he showed me his most recent discovery. Just above the small closet door in the kitchen was a hidden door. 

What greeted us when we opened it was a spiral staircase. Naturally, we wanted to explore. Up we went into a dusty cavern. My hopes for discovering hidden treasure were dashed. Rolls and rolls of player piano music was all we mined. No doubt once used on my grandmother’s old player piano that had been converted to a playable piano. 

I wonder now what this secret room was used for. A storage room. The room an unruly child was confined to. An extra bedroom. Maybe even a secret place to hide runaway slaves. Though we didn’t know the purpose, we had uncovered yet another secret place. 

Moses was sometimes overwhelmed by his God-given task of leading millions of people across a wilderness to their Promised Land. He wanted assurance of God’s guidance. On this occasion, he asked to see God’s presence as proof. Though God didn’t allow him to see his face, he did place Moses in a secret place—the cleft of a rock, as he passed by.  

Every believer needs their secret place. I have mine, and it’s not always the same place. It’s the place I go where God and I can be alone. A quiet place where I can hear God speak to me by his Spirit. A recliner in the early morning hours, a bench in a park, the bank of a pond, the top of a mountain peak, or a chair in the backyard. 

The spot I choose isn’t as important as my frame of mind when I go there and my purpose for being there. Secret places are for seeking God’s face and his plan and for renewing my resolve to serve him and others faithfully. Secret places are essential for good spiritual healthy and should be visited often. 

Find your secret place, and go there regularly.

Prayer: Father, show us Your presence in a fresh way when we meet with You in our secret places. 

______________________________

Martin Wiles is a minister, author, and freelance editor currently living in Greenwood, South Carolina. He and his wife Michelle are founders of Love Lines From God, a devotional ministry helping those who want to enhance their spiritual journey with Christ. His latest book, Grits & Grace & God, is available at Amazon. Or sign up for his daily email devotions by visiting his website. 

Infinitely More - Martin Wiles

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 NLT

Dropout wasn’t a word with enough negative connotations to keep me from becoming one. By the midpoint of my senior year, I’d had enough. Education had been disgusting me for quite some time. I could now legally decide whether I wanted to continue or not. I chose not to. But after several months in the work world, I saw how important a high school diploma was. Reluctantly, I returned and graduated. A few years later, God confronted my “I hate education” attitude by calling me into the ministry, which required I attend four years of college. Several years later, he allowed me to earn my Master’s degree. One year later, he put me in touch with a gentleman who offered to pay the tuition and book fees for me to earn my Doctor of Christian Ministry degree. By God’s strength, I was able to accomplish infinitely more than I ever could have by myself. 

Sometimes I forget about the mighty God I serve and about the presence of His Spirit within me. Occasionally, I launch out into tasks with the plan mapped out, thinking I have all the answers. Periods of failure remind me I control nothing but myself and that even the best laid out plans can go awry. God also has a habit of reminding me I can only do all things through Him and His power—not my own. 

Underestimating God’s power and being satisfied with less than He wants to give or accomplish is tempting. This verse reminds me He can do infinitely more through me than I could ever imagine. God’s power over the world is limitless, and it is unlimited in believers as well. When our focus is where it should be, and when our faith is great and pure, God will take us to new heights and greater accomplishments for His Kingdom.

Don’t sell God short. Let Him achieve more through you than you could ever dream of.

Prayer: Father, prepare our hearts so that You might accomplish more through us than we could ever imagine.

Martin Wiles is a minister, author, and freelance editor currently living in Greenwood, South Carolina. He and his wife Michelle are founders of Love Lines From God (www.lovelinesfromgod.com), a devotional ministry helping those who want to enhance their spiritual journey with Christ. His latest book, Grits & Grace & God, is available at Amazon. Or sign up for his daily email devotions by visiting his website.