31 Days: Day 17- Thanking God He Is My Hiding Place

Southwest Airlines has a trademarked slogan, “Wanna get away?”

It must be an effective marketing strategy, because whenever I hear it, I immediately want to buy a ticket to somewhere. Anywhere. Traveling means a few days away- time I won’t have to face the everyday challenges.

Most of us want to get away when life heats us, pressures mount, or sorrows increase. But sometimes, more drastic measures are needed. We don’t want to just get away. We want to HIDE where no one can find us.

What do we do when our vulnerabilities are exposed and enemies are approaching and we are totally UNPREPARED to engage in warfare? When we are in battle, the Lord is our Shield to protect us. But that is not the only way He covers us. He knows our hearts and He provides for our deepest needs. In the midst of an attack, sometimes we just want and need to hide. So when we feel overwhelmed to the point we don’t know which way to turn, He gives us Himself as our Hiding Place.

You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word. (Psalm 119:114 ESV)

When I am in need to a Hiding Place, all I have to do is call. God WILL hear me and show me His loving care by allowing me to take refuge in Him. He HIDES ME and cares for me.

I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech. Wondrously show Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand from those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings, (Psalm 17:6-8 NASB)

With all the political turmoil in our country and our world, I long for godly leaders. The prophet Isaiah describes how kings will someday be for their people, when righteousness reigns. Until then, I am grateful that we have the King on His throne over everything. He is the One who is our Hiding Place and provides us shelter.

Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land. (Isaiah 32:2 ESV)

It is WHEN I am in trouble that I seek a place to be hidden. There just times I cannot face the attacks or the challenges. My weariness feels overwhelming to the point that I am tempted to give up. At that point my Jesus picks me up and hides me away. What a blessing that I have a Lord who cares for me and provides me a place of rest.

For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. (Psalm 27:5 NASB)

We all have times where it seems like it is us against the world. However, if we can remember we have a Hiding Place then we can KNOW we are NOT alone, regardless of the way it feels. I am grateful for the promise that when I am in trouble and call to the Lord, asking to be hidden, He answers me!

Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers, (Psalm 64:2 ESV)
"You called in trouble and I rescued you; I answered you in the hiding place of thunder; I proved you at the waters of Meribah. (Psalm 81:7 NASB)

Painful words and accusations deal hard blows. I believe I have been more hurt by words over the years, than any other thing. The memory of unkindness or condemnation still resounds. But when God hides me away in His Hiding Place, I am sheltered from the “strife of tongues.” What a blessing!

You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues. (Psalm 31:20 NASB)

God is my Hiding Place and this preserves me. The God who surrounds me with a Fortress and puts me in His Stronghold, to Rescue me and provide Refuge, THIS is the same God who is my Hiding Place.

You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7 ESV)

Christina Rosetti was a Victorian poet who penned the following poem that beautifully illustrates the truth: the is NO OTHER place to hide. NONE besides our God!

None other Lamb, none other Name,
None other Hope in heaven or earth or sea,
None other HIDING PLACE from guilt and shame,
None beside Thee.”
-Christina Rosetti

I want to thank my Lord for His loving care when I am at my deepest need.

Prayer

Thank You Lord that You have placed in THIS place at THIS time to live for You. I thank You for that, but Lord, I admit that these are scary times. The world feels off-kilter. I am living through times where faith in You is derided. Where living according to Your truth is seen as prosaic. So thank You for providing me a Hiding Place in Yourself. I know You don’t want me to hide all the time. But Lord, thank You for seeing me need to hide away sometimes, and then meeting that need in Yourself.

Praise You for being a God who answers my call. When I cry out, You hear me and “wondrously show Your lovingkindness.” You allow me to take refuge in You and You hide me in Your care. The security of that promise sets my anxious heart at rest. Thank You for opening Your arms to me IN my weakness, and taking me in when I have nothing but fear to offer.

As the storms rage around, You hide me away. When trouble comes on the attack, You place me in the secret place of Your tent. Thank You for answering my prayers and cries for help. I have no other place I want to run but You.

Lord, I ask You to hide me away from the sting of unkind words. Please keep me safe from the hurt and contention stirred up by tongues, that I would keep a loving heart and be free of bitterness.

Thank You for surrounding me with Your deliverance. I praise You as my ONLY Hiding Place- there is none other. You and You alone are the place I will run when I am attacked. Forgive me for every time I have run to something else: people, food, entertainment, alcohol, sleep, or any other thing I substitute for You.

Thank You for loving me so completely at my most vulnerable moments. You are my Hiding Place!

Amen

A good, but tough question, is to ask ourselves: what do I run to INSTEAD of my Hiding Place? If you think of something, put it below and let’s pray for each other! We are all in this together and if you are struggling with something, I guarantee you someone else is too! Let’s pray for each other to hide away in the only life-giving Hiding Place there is!

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1 NASB)