Psalm 139:7-10
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
If I settle on the far side of the sea,
Even there your hand will guide me,
Your right hand will hold me fast.
Allie, our sweet kitty, is no spring chicken. As she was a stray when my husband, Danny, took her in, we're not sure exactly how old she is, but her increased inactivity belies the behaviors of an aging cat.
To be sure, Allie still moves about, but her gait is slow and measured. She loves to wake me in the morning (not my favorite thing) when she is ready to be fed. She does wander the yard from time to time, upsetting the squirrels who scold her mercilessly. But, Allie never gives chase. She seems content to simply watch the activity at our bird feeder from the vantage point of our deck.
What Allie does best these days is sleep. Her only decision to make? Where to snooze! I can find her in any number of places, napping blissfully.
Mysteriously, though, there is one place to which Allie retreats for nap time which I have yet to find. Honestly! I look everywhere I can think of, peering into every reasonable corner of the house. No Allie to be found! Where in the world is she hiding?
Only Allie knows, and she's not talking. I wonder if I'll ever find her secret sleeping space . . .?
~
Allie may be able to hide from me, but she certainly can't hide from God. As the psalmist says, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?"
Nowhere. Absolutely nowhere.
I take such comfort in this: Knowing that my Lord and my God is with me no matter where I am or what I'm doing. Knowing I'm never alone. Knowing that His grace and His love are there at the ready, at all times and in all places.
I can't hide from Him. But, in Him, I find my hiding place.
~
How does knowing you cannot hide from God affect your relationship with Him?
Will you pray with me?
We are so thankful, Father, that You are with us always through Your Holy Spirit. May knowing that You are always present give us peace and comfort in times of trial or times of joy. May our relationship with You grow stronger every day. Amen.
Among the Psalms ~ 139 is my favorite. It has guided me in my spiritual path since I started. Only God knows us through and through...
ReplyDeleteHiding is such a fun game...but in reality, I do out of fear, out of shame ~ as a shield...but God continues to seek us out... the way you did with Allie...
And I really thank God for His persistence. I really wish to be out of the limelight (net) again but there's a call to give more instead of hide...
It is indeed such a comfort to know that God is ALWAYS,ALWAYS with us...
I pray with you, for strength, courage and more so, peace in times of trials...
Lots of love always dear Martha! Thank you for your reflections today. I am both touched and relieved.
I love you, Melissa! Thanks for your never-failing support you show to my blog and reflections.
DeleteHide and seek was one of our favorite games when growing up; now, Virginia loves to pull the curtains or put a blanket over her head to make us ask, "Where's Virginia?" She always has the grandest smile upon her face when she decides to reveal her presence to us. My prayer is that we have that same smile on our face knowing our Lord has found us; that He was only a heartbeat and a breath away.
There is no cause for shame, my dear, only joy that He loves you unconditionally!
So gratified to know this touched your heart and soul. If we move one for Christ, we have moved mountains!
Much love to you always!
Oh....I love the 139th Psalm and Allie too. Bless her heart, may she always find that quiet place to nap. Lori
ReplyDeleteLori, thank you so much for visiting, and welcome! It's great to have you here!
DeleteWatching Allie nap reminds me so much of simply resting in the arms of Jesus - fully relaxed, with nothing on our minds but the peace God promises. Wow! What we can gain from that!
Blessings and love!
Oh my. What a perfect pairing of Scripture and photos of sweet Allie! Loved this, Martha.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for coming by, Sandy!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed this post; I was glad the Scripture fit with the photos. Yes, she is one sweet (and sleepy) kitty!
Blessings and love!
You know what I immediately thought upon reading this and viewing the various snoozing photos? Peace. The same peace we feel when we hold a sleeping baby. Animals carry that similar innocence and the ability to be completely in the moment. This recognition lightened my heart. Fur kids, in my opinion, have to be a variety of angel, of some sort of Divine energy that is gifted to us. They certainly offer us unconditional love, and through their actions, they exhibit the simple act of Just Being. This may not have been the purpose or focus of your blog, but it's the message I took from it.
ReplyDeleteMuch love to you, my sweet girl!
- Dawnie
Oh, I love the message you took from this post, Dawn! I had some similar observations by others who left comments on the Facebook feed.
DeleteAnd, yes, I'm with you about our "fur kids" - they do love unconditionally and teach us how to simply be in the moment. Watching Allie snooze is peaceful for me, indeed!
Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend!
Love and blessings!
Hi Martha! I've missed your writing! Allie is a doll! Well, I know she's a cat, but she reminds me of a gorgeous doll! :-)
ReplyDeleteNo, we can never hide from God. He knows and sees all. This can be a scary notion at times, but I think we should take comfort in knowing he is there all of the time. What a sense of comfort we should have! So why do we forget and become afraid when crisis creeps in? Being human is such a mystery! I love this post! Thank you for always making me think!
I've missed you AND your writing, too, Tameka! So glad to see you here!
DeleteIsn't it ironic that we do forget, in times of trouble, that He is only a breath away? I think we have to practice our relationship with Him in the good times so that when we go through the storms, we can call on Him and know He is right there with us.
Thanks so much for coming by!
Love and blessings, my friend!
hmmm you might have to get a detective to figure out where Allie is spending her time Martha. Probably behind the couch, under the house or maybe in a higher ceiling type place out of sight!
ReplyDeleteyes, we can hide ourselves physically but God will never hide from us. I used to think He did because I was going through some challenges that I wasn't sure He was aware of. Or was wondering why He was allowing it to happen. But often, God let's life unfold knowing the best thing He can do is to be there for strength and wisdom.
I too LOVE the Psalms Martha - all of them!
Thanks for visiting today, Vishnu!
DeleteYour point reflects exactly what our Pastor Emily preached about today - when times get tough, God wants us to call out to Him. He wants us to be in relationship with Him, to need Him. She also emphasized that our challenges can, indeed, be opportunities to grow in our faith. Now, when troubles come, we need to let our talk become the walk. :)
Oh, and, ironically, after I wrote this post, I DID figure out where Allie goes! She slips underneath my stepson's headboard; it's like a cozy cave, perfect for any cat.
And, yes, the Psalms are the best!
Blessings to you, my friend!