Have a Little Talk With Jesus + “Secrets With Jesus”
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Secrets.
(Entry 47 from the book, Unedited: Hope + Healing Through the Simple Habit of Bible Reading and Prayer.)
Years ago, I heard Sister Diane Showalter share how her father taught her, “You can have secrets with Jesus.” [95] The statement so impacted me in the moment and has continued to impact me over the years.
Having secrets with Jesus begins in a ‘secret place.’ David wrote, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty…” (Psalm 91:1) and Jesus taught us, “…when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place.” (Matthew 6:6) There is something so special about sharing with Jesus in a secret place.
Recently, as I read Daniel chapter 2, I was struck by the many uses of the word ‘secret’ and ‘secrets.’ We know from Scripture that Daniel had a habit of prayer that was deeply established in his life. When a jealous plot is put in place to extinguish Daniel, we see the value he has set on his “secret place.” The Bible tells us, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” (Daniel 6:10) Daniel knew that the power of a secret place was worth keeping, no matter what threatened it. It was the habit of the secret place in his life that allowed him to lead with an excellent spirit (Daniel 6:3), to face the lion’s den with faith, and to interpret dreams for the king. His source was what had been cultivated in a secret place. Daniel’s life was a product of secrets with his God.
“Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision.
So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.”
Daniel 2:19-22
“You can have secrets with Jesus.” What a concept. What a precious truth. He invites us to come to Him with our cares, our burdens, our joys, and our pain. He is so close and so personal. He is, as it says in Proverbs, “the Friend that sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24) He is always there and will never walk away. He will hold our secrets in tender, nail-scarred hands and keep them in complete confidence. Jesus is that kind of friend.
Like Daniel, let’s strengthen the practice of sharing with Jesus in the secret place. Jesus is waiting to be invited into our questions, our uncertainties, our hopes, and our dreams. He is a better friend than we can ever imagine Him to be. Let’s make it a practice to never talk to others about things until we’ve talked to Jesus about them. It is in the secret place that He becomes our best friend.
“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.” Psalms 25:14