Where Are You Hiding?

 

"O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,

My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;

So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be;

Thou blest 'Rock of Ages,' I'm hiding in Thee.'

 

I so enjoy being introduced to hymns I haven't heard before. I'm reading through "How Sweet the Sound," stories and grace-filled reflections on beloved hymns by George Beverly Shea.Those words are the first verse in the hymn "Hiding in Thee."

Shea tells how the author of "Hiding in Thee," Rev. William O. Cushing, 1823-1902, visited his mother's family in Canada. She was twelve years old. She played the piano, accompanying him as he was rehearsing. She received a note from him thanking her for her beautiful piano playing.

The chorus says it all! 

"Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee, 

Thou blest 'Rock of Ages.'

 I'm hiding in Thee."

 

I'm not ashamed that I hide in my God. There is no safer place to be in these turbulent times than resting in the Everlasting Arms of God. Deuteronomy 33:26-28 

 

 

"My weakness--my helplessness--my sense of inferiority has turned out to be my greatest strength."

Harold Russell

 

The world tells me how weak I am to rely on God. I would have to tell the world, "How weak you are to deny God." I can name hundreds of strong and capable people who are far from weak. And history tells of thousands and thousands more. Believing in and trusting God is far from weak. There is so much evidence of it's truth, I wonder how anyone can decide not to believe it.

Shea says "just repeating the words over and over again [of this great hymn] always brings spiritual uplift . . . What a perfect hiding place God offers us! He's not there just to provide a temporary escape--He fills us with His love and power so that we can go out to face our life each day. He gives us the strength and courage we need to continue down the path that He wants us to follow. God is a mighty Rock, and He never leaves us."

 

Cushing wrote "Hiding in Thee" after he lost his voice. He was no longer able to preach, but continued his ministry with the gift of songwriting. Cushing and Ira Sankey, who wrote the music for "Hiding in Thee" also wrote and composed "Under His Wings" another beautiful hymn with a similar theme.

"How shall we rest in God? By giving ourselves wholly to him. If you give yourself by halves, you cannot find full rest; there will ever be a lurking disquiet in that half that is withheld. Martyrs, confessors, and saints have tasted this rest, and 'counted themselves happy in that they endured.' A countless host of God's faithful servants have drunk deeply of it under the daily burden of a weary life--dull, commonplace, painful, or desolate. All that God has been to them he is ready to be to you. The heart once fairly given to God, with a clear conscience, a fitting rule of life, and a steadfast purpose of obedience, you will find a wonderful sense of rest coming over you."

Jean Nicolas Grou, 1731-1803 

 

 

Charles Spurgeon said: "Show the world your God is worth ten thousand worlds to you. Show the materially rich just how rich you are in your poverty when the Lord God is your helper. Show strong men just how strong you are in your weakness when 'underneath are the everlasting arms." 

Continuing, Spurgeon said: "A believer cannot fall so deep into distress and affliction that the covenant grace of our ever-faithful God will be unable to encircle him . . . he cannot fall so low as to be beyond the reach of 'the everlasting arms'."

 

Yes, I will continue to hide in my God as He knows all and has authority over all. His plan is being worked out day-by-day. If you don't believe then  you've have never studied His Word, for the proof of all He's done is proven all the time. It's not only proven by Christians, but by Scientists, Atheists and Agnostics. There is no doubt that He is true.

 

So hide yourself in God. Rest in His Everlasting Arms. Let Him be your refuge. All you have to do is call and He's there.

 

 

 You can hear "Hiding in Thee" on these links:

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNZ5VDVX0Qo

   Haven of Rest Quartet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGRPcT-W6-I  

  George Beverly Shea

Cooperating With God

The fields are abundant with Goldenrod! I love driving the roads during this season of the year. Fields, yards and the roadside are alive with yellow! There is sunshine everywhere I look!

 

"What an honor we've been given to cooperate with God as He works in the world?"

Lisa Beamer

 

I read those words one morning recently in The One Year Women in Christian History devotional. Of course, Lisa Beamer is the widow of Todd Beamer who heroically worked with other men to abort the hijacker's plans to attack a national target on that fateful day of September 11. 2001.

Her words stopped me. I've never heard it said quite that way. We're cooperating with God as He works in the world. Yes, that is what we're doing.

It is an honor, one in which we don't deserve. For all God has done and is doing for us, we are privileged to be able to do something for Him. That He uses us in any way He wants to accomplish His purpose is amazing.

                              Queen Anne's Lace mixes with Goldenrod for a lovely display! 

 As it says in Romans 12, we all have different gifts to use for His Glory. Every gift is vital and needed. Whatever your gift(s) is, do it with all your heart. Whether big or small, if it's done for God's Glory, it is BIG indeed!

 "He who governed the world before I was born shall take care of it likewise when I am dead. My part is to improve the present moment."

John Wesley, 1703-1791

Beamer spoke to the graduating class of Wheaton College in Illinois. "This is how we know redemption: when we see broken things made whole; when what's been discarded is restored to its rightful place; when those in peril are brought back to safety; when a path of restoration becomes clear; when love shines in the place that's been starving for it." 

Beamer's final question was: "What is becoming whole again on your watch? What is being healed through your influence? How is God redeeming His creation by way of your life?"

Cooperate with God? There's no question. Always. There could be no fuller life experience than to use your gifts for God.

 "What we think of, what we know, or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only thing of consequence is what we do."

John Ruskin 1819-1910

                                        Joe Pye Weed is also lovely at this time of the year.

Always remember, Little Is Much When God Is in It. Sing the chorus!

"Little is much when God is in it,

Labor not for wealth or fame;

There's a crown and you can win it,

If you'll go in Jesus' name.

 

Second verse:

"Does the place you're called to labor

Seems so small and little known?

It is great if God is in it,

And He'll not forget His own."

 

Words: Kittie J. Suffield 1884-1972

Music: Dwight Brock, 1907 -

The Stirring of Fall

 "I love autumn, the one season of the year that God seemed to have put there just for the beauty of it."

Lee Maynard

 As the stirring of Fall starts touching early morning temperatures, it means my early morning drives to spot and snap fawn comes to an end. I so look forward each May to the refreshment I receive driving the roads at daybreak. Unless I forget when I start out, I begin with my "Melody of Hymns," my own special time of praise to God.

It's not just seeing fawn that I look forward too. It's driving the back roads, with barely a car being seen, and being refreshed by nature. It's my annual celebration of being alone with deer, turkey, rabbits, and the occasional bear.

And the stirring of Fall also means the flowers on my front porch and back deck will soon be gone as the cool temps comes in earnest. There will be no more sitting on the front porch as the day starts. The birds will soon hush their song as cold weather begins to make it's entrance.

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch leaves turn."

Elizabeth Lawrence 

 Fall is a beautiful time of the year and has always been a favorite season of mine. Sweatshirts, falling leaves, fireplaces (which I miss like crazy now that we don't have one), Herb Stew and many other things delight me when Fall starts to arrive. My early morning drives turn into later morning drives as I look for Fall color to snap. There's just something wonderful of driving down a road bursting with orange, red and gold.

Since last Fall I've purchased a few pieces of fabric to make Fall pieces. I love my quilt shop! All that fabric just waiting there for me to choose the pieces I want. I purchased in sets of three and it will be fun to see what I decide to make with them.

Taking that bold step in joining the quilting group at my church was the best thing I could do when we moved here. It has given me hours and hours of delight, both sewing with the group and making personal items to keep and give away.

                   This is the fabric I decided to start with. I'm happy with the way it turned out!
 

So I'm heading into Fall with thankfulness for the summer delight I found and anticipation for the joy of Fall and all it has to offer! 

"Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale."

Lauren DeStefano

My Bayonet

"The purpose of the sword of the Spirit--the Bible--is to make us strong and able to withstand the evil onslaughts of Satan, our enemy."

GotQuestions.org

A few weeks ago, Jerry and I watched the movie "Gettysburg" with Tom Berenger and Jeff Daniels. We watch it at least once a year. Daniels plays Chamberlain who ordered the bayonet charge on Little Round Top.

I always start shaking and tears form in my eyes when he let's out with the strong order "Charge!" It's quite a scene. On the other hand, I don't watch the final fight at the end of the movie.

Shortly after watching the movie a thought formed in my mind. As Christians, we have our own bayonet to fight with. The Sword of the Spirit is strong enough to handle any battle we're in. And right now, we are in a big battle for America and our freedom.

The Sword of the Spirit is found in Ephesians 6:17 and is the Word of God. There is no weapon stronger than God's Word and we're to arm ourselves with it. It is a weapon belonging to the Holy Spirit.

"The Word of God is even sharper than the Roman sword. It is capable of piercing to the deepest levels of one's heart and attitude, and it is also a tool of discernment in the hands of the skilled user."

Dave Johnson, Life Hope and Truth

Chamberlain's bayonet charge could only wound, kill or intimidate. God's sword, as Johnson said, pierces to the deepest levels of one's heart and attitude.

"Ofttimes the test of courage is to live rather than die."

Conte Vittorio Alfieri 1749-1803 

How well do you know God's Word? It goes hand in hand with the whole armor of God stated in Ephesians 6:14-18.

"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."

In Hebrews 4:12 it's said like this: "For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

I was listening to a study my pastor is doing online, and he quoted D. L. Moody. I think this sums it up quite well:

"What is an army good for if they don't know how to use their weapons."

Pick up your bayonet and be ready to fight as our country and the world try to wipe out Christianity. When God yells "Charge!" I want to be ready. Do you?

 The Sword of the Lord and Gideon

"Gideon, with three hundred soldiers, Once a mighty host withstood,

Camping in the Moreh Valley--An uncounted multitude.

But the Lord was helping Gideon, And his brave and trusting band,

Armed with trumpets, lamps and pitchers,

Went, obeying God's command."

 

Refrain:

"Blow thy trumpet, break thy pitcher,

Hold thy lamp within thy hand along the line;

Cry,'The sword of the Lord and Gideon.'

'The Sword of the Lord and Gideon,'

And the vict'ry shall be thine."

 

Author: Mrs. Frank A. Breck