Safe in ‘the secret place of the most High’
Who among us, at one time or another, has not had an ominous feeling of being in danger? We may wonder, Where can I be safe?
I recall a time when I was in another country and present at a pilgrimage of several thousand religious devotees when the celebration got out of hand. Mass chaos began to replace the previously orderly festival, and I began to feel frightened.
My concerns took me right to the 91st Psalm, which has comforted so many people over thousands of years. The psalm begins with the assurance that when we dwell with God, “in the secret place of the most High,” we will be safe – “under the shadow of the Almighty” (verse 1). It is a definitive and unequivocal promise that God is immediately available to anyone turning wholeheartedly to Him in time of need.
When we realize that we are, right now, children of God, we have found the secret place where we are safe in His care. God is divine Mind, and we are each an idea, the image and likeness, of that Mind. We are the reflection of His very being. Because of this, we are perpetually protected, never separate from His love and sheltering presence. And as we discern these spiritual facts, we find our needs met in ways that perfectly fit the situation.
Mortal mind, or what the Bible calls our “adversary” (see I Peter 5:8), would seem to negate this wonderful spiritual truth of man’s relation to his Father-Mother God. Fear would nullify our confidence in God. Doubt would suggest we are making a mistake in listening to God. The Christian Science textbook, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” defines “adversary” spiritually, in part, as “one who opposes, denies, disputes, not one who constructs and sustains reality and Truth” (Mary Baker Eddy, p. 580).
In Psalm 91 the writer recognizes that trust in God protects us from every kind of adversary – we are “under his wings” (verse 4). This knowledge protected me during my experience at the pilgrimage. Just as fear began to suggest that I might be harmed, my heart opened to the realization that I was “under [God’s] wings,” safe in His perpetual care.
When I looked up, I saw an elderly man coming over a hill. He walked up to me and wrapped his arms around me as if to affirm, “You are safe right here and now.” Then, without a word, he continued on his way. Wow! What a sign of God’s tender care, right when I needed it. The celebration soon became more peaceful and respectful. I have always loved the concept of one infinite Mind uniting humankind, and this is what I felt as the celebration progressed. I continued on, feeling reassured that everyone present, including me, was surrounded by love, understanding, and support.
Today, many societies place value on self-sufficiency. You may hear the admiring description, “He [or she] is a self-made individual.” Many consider “I can do it on my own” to be a commendable assertion. But Christ Jesus said, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do” (John 5:19).
Jesus encouraged us to look to God for every need. So staying in that secret place of the Most High, where our every need is met by God, requires us to welcome God’s messages in. In that state of thought, we can feel our oneness with God moment by moment. God is both Father and Mother. He is both wise and tender, strong and affectionate. Equilibrium – perfect balance – exists in this “secret place of the most High.”
So let’s abide in God’s secret place – in divine Love. “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12, New Living Translation). Enveloped in these tender and mighty qualities of Love, we find our safety, strength, and permanence as children of God.
Adapted from an article published in the Nov. 6, 2023, issue of the Christian Science Sentinel.
