Just Hiding Out

Me with my Aunt Polly

Get used to Isaiah 49, I feel like camping here for a while! LOL. Even though Isaiah mentions how God has made his words of judgment like a sharp sword, he also realizes the loving care of Father God. In yesterday's blog, Before Before, we talked about how God saw and called Isaiah while he was still in the womb. That's some serious forethought, huh? 

In verse two, Isaiah says that God has hidden me in the shadow of His hand. (NLT) As a prophet, Isaiah knows his call is to proclaim the words of God. Sometimes those are judgment calls, sometimes not so much. Ultimately, even when proclaiming impending judgment (Ninevah and Jonah), the call is for people to repent. God's ultimate desire is for us to return to Him. 

This is what caught my attention in this chapter. God's talking to His people, heart-to-heart, and He is offering hope right in the middle of their struggles. (Boy, that sounds familiar, now!) It's easy to read the Old Testament and picture God as a harsh entity who is ready to punish wrongdoing. But if we stay on that image, we may very well miss the intimacy He is pursuing.

In verse 2, Isaiah realizes that he has been hidden by God. And God didn't shove him away into some cave (although that's not always a bad experience! lol). God hid the prophet in His own hand, like a warrior holds an arrow in a quiver, at the ready to send where He needs it to go at any second. 

In this verse, I see purpose and intention on the part of God. He doesn't lay us aside or give us "busy work" while He goes off to do something "more important." He keeps us with Him. He keeps us close. His hand remains on us. He hides us from the battle. I love this picture!

Today, I will remind myself that He is hiding me. That He is holding me. He is saving me. Because He loves me. He hasn't abandoned me in the middle of the fight. Instead, He hides me right in His hand - where no one can reach me without going through Him! I will try to rest right there in His huge, gentle-but-strong hands today. I will let Him care for me as I navigate the rocky road of caregiving today. I know He's got me covered, so I choose to trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?





Cover of my book 31 Days in Psalm 31

Check out one of my best-selling books - 31 Days in Psalm 31. It's a devotional taken from Psalm 31 (obviously!) - a time when David was hiding in a cave from Saul - even though he'd been anointed the next king. The social isolation of caregiving can certainly make it feel like we live in a cave, but God is there with us. And that's what this 31-day devotional is all about, exploring and discovering God in the caves of life. You can get the eBook from my shop at Buy Me A Coffee. Or the print and kindle versions are available in my Amazon Shop.


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