The Hiding Place

The Hiding Place For many folks, the above title brings to mind the great book by Corrie Ten Boom. However, for me, it describes where I have been recently. God has brought me to a very obscure place to learn of Him and experience His presence. In this wonderful place I find peace, rest, and restoration in my spirit, soul, and body. The Psalmist speaks of such a place: “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock” (Psalm 27:5). From both a spiritual and natural point of view, God desires to hide us in His pavilion. My personal “hiding place” just happens to also be a high place atop our apartment. It is here, in my “cave,” that I am able to spend precious times alone with the Lord while meditating upon Him and His Word. Thus, tremendous rest and fresh revelation are experienced. We believers seem to go through various quandaries at times. On one hand we are called to mature, while at the same time we must “come as a child.” Perhaps God wants us to become more childlike the older we get. I speak of the simplicity of faith and humility. As the Lord brings me to this place of hiding and obscurity, there is a deeper sense of appreciation and gratitude for what Christ has done. There is open communication and dialogue as I both speak and listen to the Spirit. Never have I valued the divine indwelling so much as now and at this present stage of life. As I stand on the rooftop patio of our home, I view the beauty of God’s creation: ocean, mountains, birds, and palm trees. Yet, even this pales when I consider how that Christ has sent His Spirit to abide in us. Friends, it is so easy to neglect, even ignore, this most precious gift. God of creation has chosen to make mankind His dwelling place on the earth. He abides in us, and we abide in Him. May we consider the words of Paul: “For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring’” (Acts 17:28). May we come to fully understand that in and of ourselves we can do nothing, and there is nothing of eternal value. Yet, because we abide in Christ, and He in us, we are filled with divine heavenly treasure. Jesus, Himself stated: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30). “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Just as Christ maintained a constant relationship and communication with the Father, we can as well. He said and did what He heard and saw . . . for His life was solely dependent upon His Father. Are we greater than He? I have come to love and value a life of obscurity where I can truly experience the presence of the Lord. “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah” (Psalm 32:7). Grace & Peace, pg