There has never been a more need ful time for the quiet place. Amid all the vast scientific achievements in such fields as medicine, communi cations, travel, and learning, there is yet a fantastic warping of things. We readily note the loss of real values. There is an unholy emphasis upon material things. True perspec tives seem to be lost. Unfortunately, professing Christians compromise morally in many areas of life. Many churches have lost their spiritual power. Music of the world is noth ing more than noise and meaningless lyrics with an emphasis upon sex. The world of fashion emphasizes the grotesque. Yes, we certainly need the quiet place, getting alone with God, shutting out all the noise of the world in order that we might be spiritually-minded in a very fast and perverted hour in which we hap pen to be living. A pastor-friend gave some good advice when he suggested, “Get alone with God during the day. Read through the 23rd Psalm five times. Do this for one week and it’ll make a new Christian out of you!” That’s very practical. Read this portion when you get up, again after all three meals, and then finally before retiring for the night. This is real spiritual therapy for frayed and bro ken spirits. There are many expressive names given to this portion. I t’s called “Psalm of Psalms” ; “The Psalm of the Crook” ; “The Psalm of the Great Shepherd” ; “The P e a rl of the Psalms” ; “The Shepherd’s Psalm” ; and “The Shepherd and His Flock.” Kyle Yates declared, “This is one of the sublimest creations of all time. When they tell us of the seven won ders of the world, they don’t men tion the 23rd Psalm. When they list the great pieces of literature, even on a spiritual realm, sometimes they live out this 23rd Psalm. Surely it's the pearl of the entire Bible. While more than 3,000 years old, it's very 22
new, colorful, and adaptable to every need of this Twentieth Century.” It’s obvious that the imagery be hind this Psalm is that of the shep herd and his sheep. David trans ferred the many relationships and ministries of the shepherd to Jeho vah and His own people. Things spir itual are uppermost in the mind of the writer. For these material needs we need to trust the Lord day by day (Phil. 4:19). So many believers worry about tomorrow. This should not be our circumstance (Psa. 37:1- 5). It’s interesting to note that David isn’t asking for anything. Sheep are very timid, often fearful of rushing waters. Water is at times a symbol of the Word of God (Eph. 5:26; John 15 :3). It’s also a picture of the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39). Do you have a quiet place where you can get alone with the Lord? There’s no substitute for this. In Mark 6, beginning with verse 30, we have a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ as He gives the believ ers a gracious invitation. He invites, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.” The twelve had been sent out to minister for the Lord. Tired and weary in the work, they were also shocked by the death of John the Baptist. Jesus sensed their tremendous need. The needs of the multitudes had been tremendous. The disciples had their requirements also. They went by ship to a desert place. There they found physical rest and a wondrous spirit ual renewal. A busy life doesn’t mean necessarily that one is being used of God. In Matthew 6:6 there is an amaz ing statement which tells us the proper pattern for the secret place. “When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”
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