One summer I ran a trencher putting in miles and miles of ditches for miles and miles of PVC pipe. Most of the miles and miles of trenches were through pastures in northwest Kansas, northeast Colorado, and southwest Nebraska. Most of the time I was alone. Sometimes there were cattle but most of the time it was me and the birds and occasionally a lizard. There were no trees and the sun would beat down and it was hot. Once in a while, though, a cloud would drift by and provide a bit of shade and a bit of relief from the heat. I would thank God for the cloud and the relief from the heat and it reminded me of the old hymn, “He Hideth My Soul”. The chorus of the hymn says, “He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of His love and covers me there with His hand, and covers me there with His hand.” I imagined the cloud being the shadow of God’s hand covering me and reminding me that He knew where I was, even out in the middle of nowhere.
In the course of my life I have asked God for many things. Some of my requests were selfish. Some of them were foolish. Some of my requests God granted. Sometimes when God does not grant my request He gives me an alternative. Like Moses God puts me in a safe place and covers me with His hand and gives me just a glimpse of who He is and what He is doing.
I began my walk with God when I was nine years old and have been walking with Him now for fifty-seven years. During that time there have been many times I have found myself alone and uncomfortable. In those times though, I have found that in little ways, like in a single cloud, God lets me know that He is there and He knows where I am and He knows what I need and while He does not rescue me from the situation, He gives me comfort and the blessed assurance that He will never leave me nor forsake me.
So, I would encourage you today that when you feel alone and stressed; pause and look around for the subtle ways that God is letting you know that He is near and He knows exactly where you are and exactly what you need. And, when you do that you will find He’s “hiding your life in the depths of His love and He covers you there with His hand, He covers you there with His hand.”