-August 1, 2022-
Good morning, happy Monday,
“You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7).
“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your Word” (Psalm 119:114).
In each of today’s verses, the Psalmist says, “You are my hiding place.” Psalm 32 was written by David who often looked for hiding places as King Saul relentlessly pursued him to kill him without cause or justification. He sought comfort, peace, and safety in caves, dens, and deep inside forests. Even so, these places were physical refuges for him, but he sought God who was his spiritual hiding place, especially in times of trouble.
Psalm 119 was written by an unknown author who recognized that that God was his shield and that His Word gave him hope. When we are in need, the Lord is near indeed! James wrote in James 4:8a, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” We must rely on Him for His grace and come boldly or confidently to the throne of grace to find grace to help in times of need. God’s Word strengthens us as we face a plethora of difficulties.
With such a great hiding place, why do we seek to handle our own problems, meet our own needs, or find our own answers or solutions to the questions and issues we have? When we depend on Jesus we find rest and peace. There is nothing too great for the Lord to handle. He is our perfect hiding place. We all have a place that we go to pray alone to God. Even Jesus, while here on earth, spent much time in prayer and communion with the Father. He often arose before daylight to speak to the Father and get His instructions from on high.
Wilson’s Dictionary of Bible Types defines Hiding Place as, “An illustration of the confidence of the Christian who finds a quiet place where he may kneel and pour our his heart to God in prayer and commit to Him the protection of his life and the problems he faces.” The hymn writer Cleland B. McAfee wrote, “There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God; A place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God. There is a place of comfort sweet, near to the heart of God; A place where we our Savior meet, near to the heart of God. There is a place of full release, near to the heart of God; A place where all is joy and peace, near to the heart of God. The refrain says, “O Jesus, blest Redeemer, sent from the heart of God, hold us who wait before Thee, near to the heart of God.”
Jesus said in Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Oh, what sweet communion we have with Him! Let us run to Him, to our hiding place of grace. He will always be there for us. He will listen to our needs, concerns, and troubles.
Have a blessed day seeking our hiding place before we see anyone else’s face. Stay safe and healthy.
In seeking our hiding place in Jesus,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 