Everyone needs place to hide sometimes

Remember those wonderful days of childhood? We all had our favorite hiding places. Mine was in the fork of my grandmother’s peach tree.

It was just right for me to lie down, prop up my feet, eat peaches and find all kinds of shapes in those fleecy white clouds. My favorite game of

“Hide and Seek” lasted all afternoon with my cousins in those lazy days of summer.

Many years later my husband, sons and I discovered the family cat had a special hiding place. Before we left for school each day the daily ritual became a search for “Old Tom.” That brought a real challenge because he kept changing his location. He wanted to sleep all day in the house.

Through the challenges of rearing three lively boys, I found a secure, safe hiding place. I ran to that hiding place when our oldest was injured in a mowing accident. I remained in that hiding place when our middle son was severely burned in a butane explosion. I remained in the same place when a swamp cooler landed on our youngest son’s head.

I lived in that hiding place during my husband’s five major surgeries.

I found refuge, strength and comfort in that hiding place during the long illness and loss of my mother.

I could not have survived without my hiding place.

A dear friend sings this song:

“You are my hiding place, you are my hiding place.

You deliver me from trouble. You encompass me about with songs of deliverance. What time I am afraid, I will trust in you.”

I love that song and I find myself singing it when I go to my hiding place.

Have you guessed it by now? Jesus is my hiding place. I am not alone in finding this place.

Centuries ago David knew the importance of the “secret” place. He was surrounded by foes on every side. His very own men even wanted to kill him, But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6). He looked beyond his present circumstances. He focused on the answer, not the problem. He turned to the only one who could give him victory, and he found him in the “hiding place.”

Throughout history, mankind has struggled for survival against unspeakable odds, with one exception. Bible history reveals the “hiding place” for those who loved God and followed through in obedience. Yes, they had hard times but undaunted faith led them to victories.

The parting of the Red Sea enabled Moses to lead the Israelites out of bondage. Elijah raised the widow’s dead son. Elisha purified the spring at Jericho. The Lord was the fourth man in the fiery furnace of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. God sent an angel to shut the mouths of lions for Daniel in the lions’ den. All of these and many more had a “hiding place” and that place enabled them to conquer every foe.

Run to your hiding place today. When the “what ifs” come and try to rob your peace, just say, GET OUT OF MY WAY! I’M COMING THROUGH BECAUSE, “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers nor things present, nor things to come, Nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 38:39).

I run to my hiding place. Jesus is waiting for me. I tell him of my love and I share with him my deepest feelings. He soothes my hurt and replaces pain with love. He knows all about me and accepts me as I am. No one can take him away.

I treasure my hiding place.

He can be your hiding place too!