All
of us at times, have been exposed to some type of pressure,
affliction or distress. I know this because God's Word tells
me so.
John 16:33b:
ln the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world.
God's Word uses the word
tribulation for pressure, affliction or distress. I am
not talking about the kind of pressure, affliction, distress
or tribulation that comes upon us because we are running
late for an appointment or we overcooked the chicken or
did not study hard enough for an exam. I am talking about
the kind of tribulation that is produced by evils. In
our common day speech, we would use the word trouble.
God uses the word trouble also.
Psalm 27:5:
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in His pavilion,
in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; He
shall hide me; he shall set me upon a rock.
Pavilion=booth, hut, dwelling
Tabernacle =booth, hut, fence
Rock=metaphor for God as a refuge, a place where one
is safe from their enemies, refuge, shelter, protection.
Hide=to cover over, especially the face, hiding effaces,
the turning of eyes from something disgusting or abominable,
no eye contact.
God is very clear that in
times of trouble we are to hide in Him; not hide because
of fear, but hide for protection. God will take us into
His dwelling, put a protective fence around us, give us
refuge and shelter, and hide our faces and eyes from disgusting
and abominable things. When we are troubled where do we
turn? Where do we flee to escape the trouble?
Psalm 143:9:
Deliver me, 0 Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee
to hide me (Hebrew: hide me with thee.
Everyone knows I'm sure
that the best way to communicate with someone is to make
eye contact and look directly at their face. The adversary
knows this also, and will attempt to establish some form
of communication with us so that we become pressured,
afflicted, distressed or troubled. The key to avoid this
is to not make eye contact with him. God tells us that
if we turn to Him, He will hide us and hide our faces
so we do not have to look the adversary in the eye. Remember
playing hide and seek as a child? Well it is no different
today; it is still being played on a spiritual level.
Who is seeking? Who is hiding?
I Peter 5:8:
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour.
Who is seeking? The devil
is seeking. Who is hiding? We are hiding, or at least
we should be. knowing that hiding ourselves with God is
our utmost protection and escape from trouble.
Proverbs 27:12:
A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself:
but the simple pass on and are punished.
Psalm 32:7:
Thou art my hiding place; thou shall preserve me from
trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.
Selah.
When something is valuable
we hide it so others don't find it. When you leave a spare
key to your home or car outside, do you leave the key
in the lock or do you hide it in a safe place? If you
go on vacation and leave valuables at home do you leave
them in an open, easy-to-see area or do you hide them?
We put value on things and the more valuable something
is, the more we do to protect it. What about our lives?
Do we value our lives as believers to take the necessary
care to hide ourselves in God? We should hide God's Word
in us and then hide ourselves in Him.
Psalm 119:11:
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not
sin against thee.
Psalm 119:114:
Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy
Word.
When we feel the adversary
trying to infiltrate our lives, let us foresee the evil
and hide, take refuge, in the pavilion of God while He
preserves us from trouble.
Bless you,
Bob Fallen Park Ridge, New Jersey
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