My sisters and I had a secret place. It was under the basement steps where we had our Huckleberry Hound Club. The Club was exclusive—I was President; my sister, Leah, was Vice-President, and my other sister, Nancy, was janitor. No one knew about our meetings or our comings and goings there. We had Huckleberry Hound badges and membership cards and official Huckleberry Hound Club paperwork from the cereal box tops we’d saved and mailed in. The only club activities I remember were taking roll call, cleaning the spider webs from under the steps, and planning our next meeting. It was not a real active organization, but it was ours, and no one else could be in our secret place.
God has a secret place, too. I visit it often. In fact, I’m there quite a bit in times of trouble, fear, uncertainty, heartbreak, or confusion. I’m there when my soul is distraught or lonely, or the flip-side of that—when I’m overcome with joy or peace, or when I’ve been healed or encouraged.
This week, for instance, I was overjoyed to the point of giggling in thankfulness for something quite amazing that occurred. It had been an exceptionally dry summer and fall, and our well went dry for the second time in two months. There was absolutely no water for toilets, showers, washing dishes or clothes. Life drastically changed very quickly! What to do??
It’s good to key off of Jesus and learn how He tackled the problems of life. When a violent storm arose at sea, He spoke to the wind and waves, telling them, Peace, be still! And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm, Mark 4:39 records. Another version says, Quiet! Be still! and another says Silence! Be still! The Greek meaning is a very strong command, as if to say, Shut up! Be still! Jesus was talking to the elements—the wind and the waves—not people.
So…I spoke to the clouds. I looked up at them and said, Clouds! In the name of Jesus, I command you to yield RAIN—a good, long, steady, soaking rain! The weather forecasters had predicted only three hours of rain the day my well went dry, but I asked the Lord to make the clouds defy the forecast and produce a long period of rain. Psalm 103:20 says, Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out His plans, listening for each of His commands. I asked the Lord to send angels to carry out His plans of bringing the rain my friends and I were praying for. The picture I had in my mind was that of angels wringing out the clouds like a soaked dishrag. The rains began, and my friend texted me of the change in forecast: 90-100% chance of rain for hours and hours and hours, spanning over a couple days! As the water table rose, running water was restored to my home, and I giggled in delight, as I thanked the Lord! Our family rejoiced at His faithfulness.
The secret place of prayer is unlike any other place. We’re safe there. Loved. Protected. Free. Comforted. We can tell the Lord anything there! He emboldens us to speak out in childlike faith and say things like, Clouds, in the name of Jesus, yield RAIN!
Go there today…don’t delay, for he who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’ (Psalm 91:1-2 NKJV). Miracles can happen because of our time in the secret place—there’s no limit to what the Father will do when we spend time with Him there. And, believe me, the perks are far better (and more powerful) than those in the secret place of the Huckleberry Hound Club!