Article October 22, 1966 Issue

Abiding in God's Presence

MARGRET E. KEATTS

In the Bible we are told, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Ps. 91:1; Then follow God's promises to guard us from every kind of harm. We are told that if we dwell in "the secret place" no evil shall befall us, for God shall give His angels, or spiritual intuitions, charge over us.

What a joyous, Love-filled promise! No evil to befall us! However, these assurances are made not to those who merely visit "the secret place" each day for a short period of time, make occasional calls, or flee to it when in trouble, but to those who dwell in it. "To dwell" means "to abide as a permanent resident ... to live in a place." "The secret place of the most High" is the sanctuary of God's presence. It is well to ask ourselves whether we have made an honest effort actually to dwell in that secret sanctuary where evil cannot come.

The writer had studied and contemplated this psalm daily for many years before she realized that the promises contained in its verses depend on or revolve around that wonderful first verse. She found it easy enough to keep herself in "the secret place" while she was studying the Lesson-Sermon from the Christian Science Quarterly and doing her daily metaphysical work, but when that was finished, she often left "the secret place" by letting into her consciousness such errors as criticism, discouragement, fatigue, regret for past mistakes, fear of the future, dislike of the work she was doing, self-pity, and so on.

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