Invisible

When my youngest was in middle school, he played the double bass in orchestra. He grew five inches over summer, so he was given a 3/4 bass in place of his 1/2 size. The case was soft-side and only used when we traveled to concerts so it lived in the spare bedroom most of the time. As it turns out, it made a fantastic hiding place for his sister in a game of Manhunt. She let them look for half an hour before she gave herself up!

I’m good at hiding. I hide my emotions behind a smile until I give myself up in a flood of tears! I busy myself at home so I can stay off the grid of overactivity continuously swirling around me. I walk past my Bible and journal toward laundry, puppies, cell phone, dishes until I hear God’s still small voice whisper, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9) and I answer as the first woman, “I hid because I was naked.” We all stand bare before God every single minute of every day. We have nothing to bring, nothing to offer, and nothing to hide our emptiness so we rush from bush to bush hiding while the Lord of heaven and earth walks in the garden in the cool of the evening longing for our attention.

I’ve become afraid of the quiet stillness, feeling alone and even more isolated in this pandemic quarantine, but I am never alone! Hebrews 13:5 reassures me that God “will never leave me or forsake me.” The gospels give me instructions on how to meet with Him and even what to say!

“But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”

Matthew 6:6, 9-13 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/mat.6.6,9-13.nlt

“All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.”

Psalms 115:11 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/psa.115.11.nlt

“They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.”

Psalms 112:7 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/psa.112.7.nlt

The only One who is able to fill my emptiness says “abide in Me.” “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”

John 15:9-11 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/jhn.15.9-11.nlt

“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.”

Psalms 32:1-7 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/psa.32.1-7.nlt

There is a time and place for hiding. The time is always right to hide in Christ Jesus! Our hiding place beneath His cross puts us on solid ground for His kingdom is unshakable! A time is coming when many will run to hide from His wrath that comes with His righteous judgment, but while there is still time, His invitation stands.

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:28-29 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/mat.11.28-29.nlt

That rest comes to all who call Him Lord and choose to walk in the light of His love, obeying His commands as we walk this earth. With this faith comes the promise of an eternity to walk with Him in the heavens, ruling over a new heaven and a new earth.

“The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains with the hot breath of fiery judgment. Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there. He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land. It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain.”

Isaiah 4:4-6 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/isa.4.4-6.nlt

“The one thing I ask of the Lord — the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.”

Psalms 27:4-5 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/psa.27.4-5.nlt

We are cautioned, however, not to be deceived by slick words or fine sounding arguments. Solomon said, “Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.”

Proverbs 26:23 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/pro.26.23.nlt

But do not be deceived!

“… if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time. “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes.”

Matthew 24:23-27 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/mat.24.23-27.nlt

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ never hides! He promised when He returns to gather His own into His eternal kingdom, we won’t have to wonder if it’s Him. As a lightning strike at midnight can awaken even the soundest sleeper, so His coming will be apparent to all and on that day, nothing will be hidden. All will be laid bare!

So I can choose today to bring my barrenness before my God and allow Him to fill me, or I can continue in the futile effort of hiding from the God who sees. (Genesis 16:13) I choose to come into His presence and be filled! Join me at His feet! There’s plenty of room for all to come!