Pleasant Stone Devotional Meditation: November 15

“Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues “ ~ Psalm 31:20

Many, many colors thread this “pleasant stone” verse. Two attract me [Eugenia Price, the author] in particular.

One, a lovely promise that we will be hidden “in the secret of [His] presence from the pride of man.” I see the “color” of joy just from realizing that there is “the secret of [His] presence”! “… your life is hid with Christ, in God.”

He has promised never to leave us, and so since He is always with us, we always have a hiding place. Dear and simple and familiar to those of us who have tried this hiding place and found it always there. Especially when we have run to it “from the pride of man.”

We can be insulted in public when we know about “the secret of his presence.” How it glorifies Him when we remember that we don’t need to strike back. We can simply “hide in his presence.” In the “open secret” of His presence.

And so much a redeemer under all circumstances is Jesus Christ, that He even redeems criticism, if we remember the hiding place. “… thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.”

We may be the recipients of many lashes from many tongues. Nothing unusual about that. But it can be glorious! I can permit the indwelling Christ to make me so creative that the very tirades against me will be gathered up with joy and used to get for me my heart’s deepest desire --- to be closer and still closer to Christ Himself.

“… Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart … Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”