My Hiding Place

One of the things I’ve noticed as I’ve aged, is I get a little comfortable with the way things are. Life has had its ups and downs, but I’ve learned to adjust.

So why change?

As I encounter truth, I realize that I am required to change!!! Not always a welcome idea. Ha!!

If truth is reality or what is, then I either adjust to it or I am broken by it. Ugh!!! Such hard choices. God who is the Creator of all, has created both a physical and spiritual realm and He has designed them to work in a particular way. Much like Apple has designed the i-phone or Ford has designed their trucks. The i-phone is not made to work in the shower and the truck won’t work if you put sand in the gas tank.

Follow the instructions and we can extract from them both their optimum potential.

I can see it now, driving a Ford truck along the beach with splashing water on each side with my phone to my ear singing my heart out with Selah!! Oh yeah!!!

Isn’t this also true of our Creator? Has He not made the world to work a particular way?

Our Creator-God has not left us in the dark but has given instructions on how to optimize our few short years on earth.

To follow God’s ways are good, because that is the way He designed the world to work.

I’ve been reading “God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life” by Timothy Keller, a daily devotional. Nearly every day is a heart-stabbing bit of truth. Sometimes, my heart can’t handle anymore truth. Ha!!! Have you ever felt that way?

Truth is heavy and requires adjustment.

Yet, I know with all my heart it is good for me. Sometimes I take a break and just let a bit of truth rest on my soul. Let life happen and look to see how I can push the sweet truths God is teaching me through my life.

During those times, I find it helpful to remind myself of God’s love, grace and longsuffering with this slow-learning child. I remind myself that HE has called me and that my strength is drawn from His everlasting strength.  The Spirit of God that dwells in me gives me the strength and courage I need!!!

God is my refuge. He is my strength and my hiding place.

This week, I reflected on David and the times he went into the stronghold to hide in the rocks and caves from Saul. At one point David was deep in a cavern when Saul came into the cave “to relieve” himself. There was no escape for David and his men if they were discovered. How their hearts must’ve raced!!

Three times we are told in the passage that David went to “hide” in the stronghold.

David learned an important lesson that we see all over the psalms. Though, he wisely sought refuge in the rocks, he learned that it was God who protected him.

God was his refuge, his strength and his hiding place.

Fast forward a few thousand years, and we have an elderly man and his two spinster daughters hiding Jews in a watch shop during World War II. To hide them, a secret room is built in one of the daughter’s bedrooms. This room becomes their hiding place. To make matters a little more tense, one of the elderly Jews had a wheezing cough. If she was discovered, it would implicate everyone in the household!! So, a secret ballot was taken. A vote to keep her was a yes. To send her away was a no.

There were nine ballots…and nine yeses!!!

Because a raid could occur at any time, they had to be ready and they had to be fast. Sure enough, the buzzer sounded. Feet were running and voices whispering, “Hurry! Hurry!” The last to enter the room was Mary, the elderly woman with the wheeze. Half-pulling and half-shoving, she was thrust into the hiding place before the soldiers burst into the room.

“Lord Jesus!” prayed Corrie, “You have the power to heal! Heal Mary now and keep them safe!”

There was not a single wheeze!! Our God who is eternal, was then and is now our hiding place.  

Here’s an old song I haven’t listened to for a while. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!!

YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE - Selah

Hugs ‘n blessings.