By Rev. Donald MacLean, Glasgow.
The Word of God tells us that “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps 91:1.). This secret place is undoubtedly the Mercy-seat or the Throne of Grace. This the place where the child of God desires to abide, where he can pour out all his needs and complaints to the Most High believing Him to be the Hearer of prayer. It is the place where he can have soul communion with the One Who loved him with an everlasting love. It is in the nature of the love of God to seek communion with those who are the objects of His love and it is in the nature of the grace of love in the regenerated soul to seek such communion with God — the great object of love. “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee” (Ps. 73:25).
Those who come to the Throne of Grace feel their need of the blessings to be obtained at this Throne. These blessings are described as “mercy and grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16). All who dwell in the secret place feel their need of mercy. They did not always feel this need. When they were dead in trespasses and sins, they had no sense of their need of mercy. But when they were awakened by the Holy Spirit to believe that God was, they also believed that they were sinners in the sight of God. Like David, they confessed, “My sin is ever before me”. (Ps. 51:3). Like David, they found themselves in the horrible pit and in the miry clay, utterly unable to deliver themselves (Ps. 40:2). They did feel their need of mercy then, but how was mercy to be obtained?
The mercy seat inside the Most Holy Place was sprinkled with the blood of atonement. This blood spoke of justice having been satisfied because judgment against the sins of Israel had been executed in the death of the sacrifice. The shedding and sprinkling of this typical blood pointed to the Lamb of God. “God will provide himself a lamb for the burnt offering,” (Gen. 22:8) said Abraham to Isaac. God did indeed provide this Lamb in the Person of His beloved Son in our nature. John, the Baptist, declared, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world,” when he spoke of Jesus of Nazareth. It was in this glorious Person that divine justice was satisfied because the judgment of death was executed in Him against the sins of His people. He bore their sins in His own body on the tree of Calvary and in the shedding of His blood was atonement made. It is through this Person and His shed blood that mercy comes to the sinner. “Justice and judgment are the habitation of Thy throne”. That is, justice has been satisfied because judgment has been executed against the sacrifice. It, therefore, follows, “Mercy and truth shall go before Thy face” (Ps. 89:14). Mercy, then, flows forth through the broken body and the shed blood of the Lord of Glory. Those whose prayer at the throne of grace is, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner,” know this to be the case and this is their salvation.
The people of God not only need mercy at the time of their union to Christ but need mercy all their days in this world. They also need grace to help in time of need. They are a poor and needy people and their times of need are many and various. In those times, they are taught to come to the throne of grace to seek needed grace in the name of the One Who said, “My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2. Cor. 12:9). “Out of His fulness have all we received and grace for grace” (John. 1:1).
Those who are in the secret place seeking such blessings are said to abide under the shadow of the Almighty. The wings of divine love and power cover them and protect them. The mighty God of Jacob is on their side and no foe can finally overcome them. Ruth was safe there when she came from the darkness of Moab to trust under the wings of the Lord God of Israel (Ruth 2:12). So are all the poor and needy who belong to Christ. “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: Thou are my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God” (Ps. 40:17). Therefore we are told in Psalm 91 that the language of those who dwell in the secret place is, “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God; in Him will I trust” (Ps. 91:2).
This is what is needed above all things in the Mission in Zimbabwe — that ministers and people would dwell in the secret place of the mercy seat. We, too, who pray for them in Scotland, Holland and other places must dwell in this secret place pleading on their behalf. We read that a security fence has been put round Mbuma Mission. This is right and proper. But they need the wings of the Almighty to cover them from all their enemies and to keep them faithful to the Word of God in the midst of affliction. Thus, they may enjoy the promises in this Psalm, “Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday — There shall no evil befall thee; neither shall any plague come near thy dwelling.” (Ps. 91:5,6,10).
The Church in Scotland and Zimbabwe are most grateful to the Mbuma Zending and its supporters in Holland for their continued generosity and thank you most sincerely. Two students, Mr Alfred Mpofu and Mr Zororai Mazwabo have completed their theological course in Scotland and have now returned to their own country. They should be ordained at an early date, the Lord willing, to preach the gospel of the glory of the blessed God to their own people. It was a great encouragement to us all, that the Lord, in the midst of the terrorist war, should have called these two men to the work of spreading the Word of God. May we not firmly believe that He has a purpose of mercy towards the people of that sunny but troubled land when He is still sending out His ambassadors?
Although we, in Scotland, are at a distance from you, in Holland, and although Zimbabwe is still further away, we can all meet in the secret place of the Most High and pray that the Church of God may prosper. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee” (Ps. 122:6).