Hiding Place

I remembered once again what an honor and a privilege it is to have grandchildren. My oldest daughter and her husband came over for dinner and the kids were ready to play. I sat and watched as they came up with games. They always want their big brother to play with them and he seems to enjoy the time they have together. As usually happens, the younger siblings wanted to play “Catch Me,” which meant that big brother was the lion, dragon, monkey, or whatever they decided at the time. He would roar and they would run and bedlam would ensue. If he began to to get too close to one of them, they would run to Grandpa and ask me to hide them. Big brother would pass them by and they would jump down to get back in the fray. All they needed was a little rest in a safe spot and they were refreshed for the game.

Psalm 143 (NIV)

⁸ Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
       for I have put my trust in you.
       Show me the way I should go,
       for to you I lift up my soul.

⁹ Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD,
       for I hide myself in you.

Jesus once used the example of the faith of a little child to teach his disciples an important lesson. In Mark 10:13-16, Scripture says, “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.” Our Lord wanted his followers to know that it took a pure and complete faith in God, through Jesus Christ, to tear down the walls that mankind has built between themselves and their Creator.

David does a beautiful job of describing what Jesus was talking about in “grown-up” terms. One could write all day about the incredible picture that this “man after God’s own heart” paints in these two verses. Suffice it to say that the first verse in this passage describes the background for the second. David prays for continued evidence of God’s faithfulness, and then explains why. “I have already given you my complete trust and am waiting for you to guide my next steps. I hold up my soul to you like a child holds up a hand to their father.” What a beautiful picture of faith.

In the second verse, David runs to his Father and says, “Hide me, Daddy. I am being chased, and you provide the only safe place to which I can run.” You know, we have the same Daddy that David had and He is big enough to hide us too. Sometimes it is hard for us as “big people” to admit that we need help – but we do. The help we need is the kind that only a God like David worshiped can provide. And the only way we can take advantage of that help is to run to Him and say, “Hide me, Daddy! I am being pursued.”

We serve an awesome God!!!!!