Many years ago I read “The Hiding Place,” the true story of Corrie ten Boom’s life. She and her family’s lives were changed forever when the Dutch surrendered to Hitler’s Germany in 1940. Like her father, Corrie was a watchmaker, the first woman to be licensed as a watchmaker in the Netherlands. They began hiding Jews and others in danger, even building a secret room in their home for added protection. Eventually, all were caught and sent to different concentration and work camps. Corrie and her sister Betsie eventually ended up in Ravensbruck where Betsie died, but not before many there heard about God’s love, even in the middle of the unspeakable cruelty they endured. In that horrible place, they had smuggled a bible, they had each other and their safe place was Jesus.
In Luke 1:39-45, a very young Mary is making haste to the home of her older cousin, after the angel Gabriel tells her she is pregnant, carrying Jesus, the Savior of the world. (Was she in shock and scared?) Elizabeth doesn’t live close by, but Mary doesn’t care–she will understand because she too is unexpectedly pregnant, but in her advanced years. Elizabeth was Mary’s safe place and the Lord knew they needed each other, even silencing Zechariah (Elizabeth’s husband) maybe so they could have “girl time.” (Luke 1: 18-19)
There is something safe about having a close family member (or friend) to go to in a crisis, or even a time of great joy. They’ve known you for a long time and loved you. Elizabeth probably had the wisdom of years, but they were both in the same boat! Both women were pregnant for the first time–exciting yet scary.
We all need to have a safe person to share with, but no matter what, we always have a safe place in the Lord. Psalm 36:7 tells us, “How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.” Under His wings is a place to find safety.
David also makes it clear God hides us in the day of trouble as stated in Psalm 27:5 (NLV): “For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His holy tent. In the secret place of His tent He will hide me. He will set me high upon a rock.” Think of an eagle. The mother spreads her majestic wings over her little ones in order to protect them from any storms or predators. She will actually face injury in order to protect her little ones.
God’s Holy Spirit lives within us and we are always with Him in His holy tent. We know from other Psalms that God is our rock, our shelter and our strong tower of refuge. What a friend we have in Jesus–the ultimate safe place!
Deb Hill
EFCC Member