Hiding Place

Posted on November 17, 2017 by Graeme Wilson in Victory Call

When you read the title “Hiding Place,” what comes to mind? Truly, many things could spring up in one’s thoughts. For instance, Hide & Seek. Most, if not all, of us remember playing this much loved childhood game. Whether you’re the one hiding or the one doing the seeking, it was always a game bound to deliver loads of fun and laughter. For others, however, hiding place could have a much more sinister connotation.
In the last year or so I’ve begun listening to audio books via an app on my iPhone. My latest listening was a much loved and heart-rending favorite, which is also a movie of the same title, “The Hiding Place”.
In case you aren’t familiar with the book, I’ll give you a little summary. The author, Corrie ten Boom, tells the story of her much beloved family by inviting us to take a long and detailed look at how they lived life as a family of Christians. In addition, she gives us a glimpse of how their faith led to life-altering choices during a time of war. It led to a decision that would make their home a place of escape, a hiding place for Jews fleeing Nazi-occupied Germany and other parts of Europe. Even after the Nazis invaded their homeland, the Netherlands, the ten Booms continued to provide a hiding place for virtually everyone who came knocking.
Up to a certain point in the book the hiding place is the strategically designed plan and space that was built for the purpose of hiding Jews (literally strangers) from their enemy. Within the very walls of their home, they became facilitators, ushering many Jews to safety and freedom.
After some time had passed, the day came when they were arrested and imprisoned for the laws they broke while helping their fellow human beings. The horrors of their captivity led from one prison to another until they arrived at one of the worst unimaginable places.
Herein is where the much deeper understanding of hiding place shows up. This place (Person) of refuge turns out to be the only true place to which they would run, over and over and over again. It was there (in Him) they sought refuge, shelter, solace and a sort of escape from the evil torment they were existing in. Wide awake! Not in a dream! This hiding place was in the reality of Jesus! In Him, they literally lived and breathed!
God’s Word says, You are my hiding place. You preserve me from trouble: You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. You are my hiding place and my shield, I wait for Your Word. Hide me in the shadow of Your wings…For You have been a refuge to me, a tower of strength against the enemy. God is to us a God of deliverances; and to God the Lord belongs escapes from death. Psalm 32:7; 119:14; 17:8; 61:3; 68:20
Dear sisters! Is there a pain or sorrow you bear that you believe will certainly be the death of you if you have to carry it one more moment? Do you believe that God and God alone can cover you, hide you, shelter you? Are you willing today to put Him to the test?
He’s big enough! He’s more than able to make a way out of what seems to be no way!
In the book “The Hiding Place” there are many moments where God does the seemingly impossible, and there are also accounts where Corrie’s sister, Betsy, does the seemingly impossible! She gives thanks to God for everything – even lice! Yes! Lice! Crazy right?! But it turns out that the very presence of those lice was a means to an end, a means of grace. Lice kept the guards out of a certain area. As a result, the reading of God’s Word took place uninterrupted.
You’ll have to read the book to get the rest of the story. I hope you do. You won’t be disappointed and maybe your resolve to stay the course NO MATTER WHAT will be encouraged because He, the Living God, is our hiding place.
Stephanie D. Paul
Stephanie Paul previously served as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women’s Addiction Ministry. She has been married for over 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. Stephanie serves alongside him as Care Group leaders in their church. They have two grown children.