Forthright Fixation

Truth be told, there’s a long list of things I try to avoid. I don’t think I’m alone on this. All of us try to “hide” from unpleasant things, don’t we? We hide from annoying people, difficult changes, uncomfortable situations. Our natural inclination is to avoid work, pain, punishment, the truth, sometimes even the future. I hide because I fear something I cannot control, or would rather not face.

There are also all of the securities we hide in to escape from those things. We hide in our abilities and in people’s opinions. We take cover in our possessions, our talents, our friends, our self-determination, the past, thinking that those things will somehow “protect” us from our fears. We are always hiding in something because there’s constantly something to hide from.

As I was musing about this to myself, God took this concept and put it in a new light for me.

”When My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.” Ex. 33:22 (NIV)

The one thing worth hiding from…

“In the shadow of His hand He hid me.” Is. 49.2 (NIV)

…is the only place to hide in. R.C. Sproul sums it up: “The One from whom we needed to be saved, is the One who saved us.” God was our original Savior, and is our refuge still.

“For I hide myself in You.” Ps. 143.9

“For in You my soul takes refuge.” Ps. 57.1

“Hide me in the shadow of Your wings.” Ps. 17.8

Isn’t that a concept? Hiding in God. When my soul—my mind, will, and emotions—are buried within my Lord, I have no reason to hide from anything in this world, for He Himself is the greatest Fear, and He alone is the greatest Deliverer. How absurd to run to people, and abilities, and the past to take cover. Is a sandcastle going to protect me from the tsunami?

Yet, in my foolishness, I often run back to those ruined sand sculptures.

But you know what’s astounding?

He still hides me. And not just when I fear. But when I sin, when I wander, when I thirst, when I’m stressed, when I’m confused or broken, when I feel inadequate for a battle; all the time He hides me. And it is His delight to do it. Why do I resist His shelter? I am hidden in the folds of God’s grace, in the rich blood of His Son. Hidden—deep within His love, written on His heart, graven on His hands. Hidden in He Himself to take sweet refuge. I am forever hidden from His wrath, spared from His glorious justice, rescued from all I truly deserve. Will He not also hide me from those little things that make me cower? He doesn’t eliminate them, but He promises to hold me through them, as He consumes me with a greater fear of Himself. He is the stronghold of my very soul.

And that, to me, is just amazing.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee

Filed under: Attributes of God, Knowing God, Trusting God