A Prayer to Begin Hiding in God - Your Daily Prayer - May 12
Your Daily Prayer
Audio By Carbonatix
By Rev. Kyle Norman, Crosswalk.com
A Prayer to Begin Hiding in God
By Kyle Norman
Bible Reading:
“You are my hiding place, and you will protect me from trouble, you will surround me with songs of deliverance.” - Psalm 32:7
Read or Listen Below:
Scripture is filled with myriads of stories of people wandering from God, usually because they thought freedom was found elsewhere. Adam and Eve are a case in point. They both succumb to the devil’s lies, telling them that their true life would be found away from God. If they just ate the forbidden fruit, all they desired would come rushing into their life. And so, they eat.
Of course, they find nothing but the hope and joy they thought they were pursuing. Shame and guilt come crashing in. And as the two hear God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, they go hiding amongst the trees, lest they be seen by the God they have just rejected.
When we feel overwhelmed by our sin, it can be easy to feel that we must hide from God. We think that we need to be distant. If God comes close, well, God will visit us with vengeance and wrath, right? After all we have done and the sin that clings to us, why would God offer anything else?
Have you ever thought, after all that you’ve done, or after all that you have neglected, or after all the time that you have spent away, you will never be received by the God who made you? So many people feel like God is not for them, so they hide from God. It can be an isolating experience. It can be an experience in which we believe ourselves to be abandoned and unloved. When we hide from God, not only are we left struggling with the guilt of our sin, but we also feel desperately alone. This is not the life that God wants for us. This is not the life God wants for you.
But instead of hiding from God, what might it look like for you to hide in God? Psalm 32 is a psalm wherein David wrestles with his sin. As long as he tried to manage it himself, cover it over, and sweep it under the proverbial rug, he describes how his sin would sap his strength (Psalm 32:4). But a change comes to David when he acknowledges his sin before God. And what comes rushing into his life is not divine anger, wrath, dismissal, forgiveness, or love.
When we allow ourselves to be covered by God's love and have God’s love be the defining marker of our life, we no longer feel the need to hide from God. David describes how we hide in God. David writes, “You are my hiding place, and you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Hiding is a journey into the heart of God, a heart filled with compassion, delight, protection, and love. Hiding in God means that we dare to accept the loving acceptance of God in our lives. When we hide in God, we are assured of God’s delight in us. God surrounds us with grace. This means no part of our life is untouched by God’s mercy.
So here are the questions that we can ask ourselves: Do you want to hide from God, or do you want to hide in God? Do you want to cover up your sin, your need for God, and your desire for forgiveness by simply shoving them under a rug of your own making, or do you want them covered by the gracious arms of Jesus? Return and accept the love of God that is held out to you.
Let’s pray:
Gracious Jesus, thank you for your love for my life. Thank you for being a saviour who comes to me. Even when I reject you, even when I attempt to hide from your presence, you are there. And you extend an invitation for me to come to you. In your love, you invite me to experience grace upon grace and the fullness of your love. Lord, I turn to you this day in an act of confession. I confess to you that I have not loved you as I ought to have loved you. I have not loved others as myself. I have sinned in thought, in words, and deeds. But in an act of repentance, I turn again to you, and I open my life to you. Hide me, O Gracious Lord. May your divine presence enfold me this day. Hide me from the temptations that I face. Shelter me from the assaults of the evil one. Secure me in your loving care. I pray all these things in the name of Jesus, my Lord. Amen.
Photo Credit: © Unsplash/Ismael Paramo
The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada. He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others. He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca. He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.
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