But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide them from Athaliah; so he was not killed. He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
—2 Kings 11:2-3
Athaliah is remembered in history as one of Israel’s most wicked queens. She was so anxious to be crowned queen that she was willing to kill all the royal princes—her own grandchildren. This put Joash, the rightful heir to the throne, in grave danger. Fortunately, his Aunt Jehosheba also is remembered, for her courage and compassion in hiding Joash and his nurse for six years.
Like Joash, all Christians will need a hiding place at some point. Many Christians, such as the ones under siege from some terrorist groups, need physical hiding places to keep from being killed. Sometimes. hiding places also protect us from physically, verbally or mentally abusive people, or from dangerous situations such as natural disasters.
Many times though, we find ourselves in need of an emotional or spiritual hiding place. This can happen at any time for a variety of reasons. Maybe you or a family member is seriously ill and needs healing or provisions for medical costs.
Maybe you are a veteran seeking refuge from mental and physical trauma.
Perhaps your job has become overwhelming or someone you work with is trying
to sabotage you.
In all these cases and a plethora of others, God offers Himself as our ultimate hiding place. In the New Testament, Jesus expresses how much He wants to take Israel under His wings as a mother hen does to her chicks. He feels the same about us. Many Bible verses speak of God’s ability to protect, nurture and comfort us. If you need a hiding place today, seek God first. If your hiding place needs to be physical, reach out to family and trusted friends who will help you find one and protect you from people and things who would try to hurt you.
Comments