I remember having a secret place as a child. I ran to it when I needed to hide, especially when I didn’t feel safe. Sometimes there was just too much going on and I needed to hide from it all. And at other times I would run there when I was hurt. It was a secret place. A place where I could hide, get away from the noise, and a place to heal…or at least hide the pain.
Our Secret Hiding Place
As kids, we would run the neighborhood all day long until nightfall. One of our go-to places to hide was that tree in the cornfield. If any of my childhood friends are reading this, they would know that tree I speak of.
But there were other places as well. I remember the Tressel back at the creek. And then when time was of the essence, I could climb into the small shady tree in my side yard.
Why, I even made my closet into a bed. I suppose the walls around me made me feel safer. And, with my mattress on the floor, no monsters could hide under my bed!
Time Is Not a Friend of My Secret Place
Now, as a grown-up (my wife might debate that – me being grown-up), those places are harder to find. Maybe not because they don’t exist but the time to go there doesn’t. A secret place is definitely much harder to find.
Maybe it’s because the time to do it, to go there, doesn’t exist – it runs out before it can happen.
Maybe it’s not even that time doesn’t exist because it does. It’s because time goes much faster. After all, there is so much going on. So much to accomplish and get done. Too many places to go.
One Frog said to the other as they were sitting on a log catching flies,
“Time sure is fun when you’re having flies!”
Okay, I had to get a dad joke in. But it seems that time sure does fly, fun or not! Time is in great demand. Time disappears, and it can’t be replaced. There is a shortage of time. Or is there?
I heard someone once say, “I wish I just had more time each day.” Well, that won’t work. You would just fill that time up too, asking for more. There isn’t enough time to go around.
Maybe Time Isn’t The Problem – It’s Me
I got it all wrong. I’ve spent my whole life chasing life…more life, a better life, a full life, success, peace, fulfillment, and in search of more time. Time just kept running out. I was almost there. It was just out of reach. But alas, the days were just not long enough.
Now, after another long day, I lay here on my bed exhausted. Where did the day go? If I had realized early on in my life that this life was not a sprint, I could have run a lot further.
Today Is The Day
Well, as they say, it is never too late to get started. So here I go. I am hurrying up to wait upon the Lord. Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 6…
Matthew 6:33 NIV
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
That’s it! I should have always started with Him. My day, and everything I do. I will seek Him first! But I will not stop there. I will be with Him, my whole day long. Could He actually multiply my time back to me?
Jesus even speaks about that secret place. Look at the earlier part of Matthew 6…
Matthew 6:6 AMP
But when you pray, go into your most private room, close the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you.
I will make my whole day long, no matter where I am, my secret time, and my secret place with Jesus. I will learn and know that I can’t go through any part of my day without Him.
Challenge of the Week
What one adjustment do you need to make this week to find time? Find and spend time in that secret place, that quiet place with Jesus. So be it.
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