I was thinking of the words to an old hymn, Hide Thou Me…
Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my life in vain,
I’m tempted oft to murmur, to grumble and complain;
But when I think of Jesus and what He’s done for me,
Then I cry, to the Rock of Ages, hide thou me.
There are times when the burdens of life get so heavy; when the struggles get so hard; when no matter what, we still worry; that we have to cry out to Jesus, “Hide me!” Thankfully, He does. Back around 1880 Vernon Charlesworth wrote, “The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide, A Shelter in the time of storm; Secure whatever ill betide, A Shelter in the time of storm.”
How different it is for the unbeliever.
Where does the atheist turn when his world is falling apart? When all friends forsake him? When the doctors say, “I’m sorry, but we’ve done all we can do?” When someone sings “The Sun Will Come Up Tomorrow,” but he knows he won’t see it?”
Where does the unbeliever hide? In drugs? Alcohol? Meditation? Sex? Nietzsche? Nature (which he believes is nothing more than the product of random chance and void of meaning)?
Scripture (Revelation 6:16) speaks of a day when men who chose to run from the Rock will “cry to the mountains and rocks” to “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne…” Ironic, isn’t it?
Oh, “Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.”
The Recovering Legalist 
Happy New Year, Anthony!
You too!
I generally don’t get to low. I had enough trouble in my life to right past the guard rails of Low. So, the little stuff at best gets me to talk with God through my day. (practising the presence.)
I do find myself drawing to christian music and comedy if I have had some loss or disappointment.
Because I trust God, Because I respect him, I don’t as some do, blame him or ask why. You can see some people blaming others for not helping or getting angry when something goes wrong in their lives blaming people around and God. I don’t like that sort of anger and desire to hurt others. And I don’t like that bent of some to hurt God when they have trouble. John 3:14-15 talks about that contempt and the punishment for that sort of crime against God. But as we see, God is willing to forgive it. That is what vs. 16 is about, that God will put his son on the poll so others will not perish for their contempt against God.
So with me, there is a whole area of hurt deleted simply by not blaming by taking that off the table. Its much easier to deal with trouble. It makes it easy to find comfort in God. I think this kindness toward God is the thing David had so that in trouble or even sin he could approach God and find help in his time of need.
If you really want to know, you’ll have to post this blog entry on an atheist group discussion.
I’ve heard that often christians on their death bed are more afraid of dying than non believers.
Myself, by the grace of God, in the faith He’s given me, I’ve always gone to Him in my “prayer closet” long before I ever heard the term “prayer closet” i could never wallow in self pitty for longer than 1/2 hour, Jesus would pick me up and get me outside onto my next adventure.
Fyi, really enjoyed your last blog about the seatbelts.
Blessings
You know, I never visit the atheist sites. Some folk love to do that and do the whole debate thing, but I don’t. My thing is to simply write what’s on my mind and leave it for other people to decide whether or not they want to comment. It’s just what I’m comfortable with.